Twelve Days of Mindnumbing Mystery
by Eternity In Seconds
Summary: Modern Day A/U. Mystery, Mayhem, Romance and Humour abound in this fun Holiday fic for all! Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? Why does her school get out three days before Christmas? Why is Iroh so... jolly? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ?]
1. In A Pear Tree

**Twelve Days of Mystery**

******Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairings:** Various  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** Christmas! It's the most wonderful time of the year...

This was bugging me, so I've been naughty and written this instead of Ruins for Crows… Any way, it isn't just pointless fluff! There is an actual plot, a story along with it. Said story is more apparent in later chapters, so stay tuned! I have written the first eight or so chapters, and plan to update once a day right up till Christmas Eve! Yipee! Have fun guessing who got Katara the present! My only tip: don't go by what I've already written. I like changing things up, and writing out of my comfort zone!

**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter One:** Pear Tree

_On the first day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
A Partridge in a Pear Tree_

* * *

Wednesday, 13th

**xXx**

Katara tapped her fingers in rhythm to the Christmas music blasting from Avatar High's ratty old speaker system as students slowly trailed in from the cold outside world. Her eyes moved across the page of her latest book, easily blocking out all other existence besides the words on the page and her own heartbeat.

She was used to the music by now. In an effort to promote positive learning environments and the good-will the Christmas season stood for, her school's Principal, Iroh, had replaced the usual three tone bell with all the Christmas music the crazy old man could get his hands on. Don't get her wrong, Katara loved Principal Iroh. He was a stout, rotund man with a flowing white beard and seemingly bursting with tea and proverbs.

Principal Iroh was the epitome of Santa Claus, only he hung around all year round.

Azula Agni slid into her assigned seat besides Katara and gave her a strangled smile. Katara smiled back weakly. She and Azula – an actual princess of some country in Eurasia or something – had never been the best of friends. But, they had made a rough truce at the beginning of the year, and the princess had slowly grown on her.

Katara turned away from Azula's hawk-like yellow eyes and looked at the calendar tacked to the classroom wall. She sighed. Twelve days. She had to endure twelve more days of music and mistletoe and then it would finally all be over. Twelve more days and it would be Christmas Eve – and That Day – and then she could go back to her life.

The last bunch of students fell into the class and the English Professor, Hama, followed. Katara double checked the page number in her book and shut it softly, placing it carefully on her desk and tracing the lining of the front cover. Ever since… That Day, Katara had been trying to finish the book.

With a sigh and a mumbled, "Good Morning Professor Hama," Katara opened her notebook to a fresh page and got down to work.

**xXx**

She passed by a carnival of blinking lights as she made her way down the hallway to her locker. Holiday garlands and decorations reflected the Christmas lights Principal Iroh had pinned up everywhere, creating delicate patterns of glittering movement on the white lacquer floors.

The lights ran over each doorway and at the base of the ceiling. There wasn't a room, Katara knew for a fact, which did not have lights. Katara wondered where the kindly old man could have possibly found so many lights… and then decided that she didn't want to know when said old man all but skipped down the hallway with tinsel plaited in his long hair.

Heading directly for her.

"Ah, Miss Dagat," Iroh crooned. "How are you this fine, fine day?"

Katara liked Iroh. She really, really did. But sometimes he could be slightly… creepy.

"It's been good, thank you sir," she managed with a smile as Iroh flung an arm around her shoulder and walked with her down the hallway. Not a single student batted an eyelid, because Iroh's hugs were not uncommon. Two of her least favourite teachers, Mistress Li and Mistress Lo, didn't even glance at her.

She wondered if screaming would cause a riot or whether her fellow students would just blow it off…

Iroh, who had been smiling at her – he was a short man, but Katara was a short girl – with two lidded eyes, opened one a fraction and looked down at her. "Please, Miss Dagat! Call me Iroh!"

Katara took a step back, surprised and slightly suspicious. "Ah… okay then… Iroh."

Iroh beamed at her brightly, showering her in the beam the fairy lights created by bouncing off his perfectly white teeth. "Splendid! Splendid! Well, have a nice day, Miss Dagat! Merry Christmas, and remember, a pear a day keeps the doctor away!" With that, the stout teacher attacked an unsuspecting group of seniors as they loitered by some strategically placed mistletoe. "And who might be the lucky man you are waiting for, my children…"

Katara made herself move after that rather random interlude.

Padding down the hallway, tugging her woollen school skirt down, she nearly ran head first into Avatar High's other Happiest Person On Earth, Ty Lee.

Ty Lee, who had been dancing around the middle of the hallway, ear buds in her ears, and singing terribly off key, gave Katara a bubbly hug.

"Hey Ty Lee," Katara managed to gasp out as Ty Lee's legendary Iron Embrace sucked the air out of her lungs.

"Hello friend Katara!" Ty Lee giggled, letting her go. Katara took in as much air as possible. "Are you enjoying the wonderful, incredible, fantastic day?" Ty lee grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Seen anything interesting today?"

Katara blinked at her, hugging her books more tightly to her chest. Ty Lee, a year below her, wore the exact same uniform: a plain white button-up blouse, a house tie – which, in Ty Lee's case, was yellow and black for Air Nomad house – a thick grey knitted V-neck jumper, a grey pleated skirt, plain black T-bars, a black blazer with the house emblem emblazed on the pocket and black tights. Ty lee had forsaken the tights, and her bare legs were visible, and instead of the blazer, she wore a grey cardigan.

"Just the decorations," Katara answered hesitantly, wondering how it was possible that Ty Lee's eyes could glow with that kind of… crazed happiness.

Ty Lee beamed, her smile defying all logic and growing bigger. "I know, right! I was head of the decorating committee this year, and Uncle Iroh and I decided to go full out!"

Katara hmm'd politely as Ty Lee launched into an in-depth play-by-play of the decorating committees journey from idea to reality. She sometimes forgot that Iroh was Azula's Uncle, and that Ty Lee had grown up alongside the princess in her home country, before they – alongside Mai Nagoya and Azula's brother – immigrated as part of some international something something.

Katara fidgeted with her blue and silver tie – _gooo_ Water Tribe house! – and rearranged her slipping books. Generally, each of the school houses had a huge rivalry with one another, with the exception of Air Nomad, who loved everybody equally and where all about sunshine, happiness and butterflies. Her own house had a fierce rivalry with Fire Nation house, whose colours were red and gold. The other house was Earth Kingdom (green and bronze).

Ty Lee's continuous chatting paused and Katara smiled brightly, like she had been listening the whole time. "You did a fantastic job."

"Thank you! Have you finished all your Christmas shopping yet?" Ty Lee gestured with a thumb to the huge fir tree that stood, elaborately decorated, in the middle of the courtyard. The school was arranged like a cross, except that the middle was cut out. A few prop presents had been placed around the bottom, and a few students milled around the branches, braced against the chilly wind. The weather forecast had predicted snow.

"Not yet," Katara said. "Sorry to rush off on you like this, Ty Lee, but I'm supposed to be meeting Toph and Aang and my brother for lunch."

Ty Lee's eyes took on that all-knowing, smug glint. "Oh! Of course! Sorry, I didn't mean to take all your time with my chatting!" She made a shooing motion with both hands. "Off you go! Bye Katara!"

Katara didn't need to be told twice. She gave a small wave to the chirpy girl and turned the corner into her hallway. The lockers were pressed up against the inner wall, and the classrooms were situated on the outer. As she walked by, a few students tittered and whispered, watching her like a soap opera.

Katara shifted uncomfortably, and fixed her eyes on the floor, only looking up when she passed the drinking tap that stood just before her locker… and found something perched in front of it. Her steps quickened subconsciously, wanting to know what it was.

Ten metres.

Seven metres.

Four metres.

Katara stopped, her eyes fixed on the object. She raised an eyebrow in confusion and glanced up, meeting the eyes of many of her year mates.

There was a small tree-looking thing placed right in front of her locker door. It looked like a potted plant, she decided, but no potted plant she had ever seen before. She bent down, mindful of her short skirt (she'd finally had her puberty growth spurt and now only stood a head shorter than most other people in the school) to get a closer look. She caught sight of a small, neatly folded white piece of paper.

Snatching it carefully she looked it over, eyeing it like one of the explosive fire crackers Sokka sometimes liked to invent in the backyard. She tore it open and saw a few short, simple typed sentences.

_Katara,_

_It's a pear tree_

_Love Anonymous_

Well then.

She rolled her eyes, just waiting for Toph or her brother to jump out from behind the ficus and yell "_surprise bitch! You really though you had an admired_!" The moment lengthened and nothing happened. Her classmates – and some lower class man, passing through on their way to their lockers – still stared at her, whispered about her.

Still kneeling on the ground like an idiot, she lifted the note up to the light, squinting as she searched for a hint of who might have written it. Something stabbed into her hand sharply, and she made a strangled shriek, jumping up to her feet and shaking her hand out. She dropped the note and watched the shrub with undisguised distrust, eyes narrowed.

Then, the baby bird opened its wings and grumbled at her.

Possessed by something she couldn't understand, she reached out to touch its sleek wings. It pecked at her hand, gently, affectionately this time round, and she petted it.

It looked like a baby hawk.

Katara craned her neck to look around the hall again. Christmas music was playing softly through the schools speaker system, and everyone within a thirty foot radius was goggling at her.

She needed to talk to Sokka.

Right now.

Carefully she picked up the bird and placed it on her shoulder. It nipped at her hair-loopy affectionately and squawked at her some more. She glanced down at the pear tree again and, with a disgusted sigh, dragged it into a corner, placing it in a thin beam of sunlight.

Deep in thought, Katara opened her locker and placed her books away automatically, pulling out her lunch box and shutting her door with a sot click. The gift had gotten to be in front of her locker in the one hour period between recess and lunch. She only knew five boys – and one of them was her brother – who could have possibly placed it there. It had a familiar feel to it, something she couldn't explain.

**xXx**

She found her friends sitting in the cafeteria, everyone acting exactly as they should have been. No one looked up when Katara entered the din of the cafeteria. She had honestly thought that one of them would slip up, glance at her to see if she had received her… gift. She had thought one of them would pay her a little more attention than normal.

Mumbling to herself about stupid boys being stupidly cunning and wily when they wanted to be, she plopped down in her usual seat between Aang and Toph.

"Sup, Sugar Queen," Toph greeted around a mouth full of what could have been nachos. "Haven't seen you all day."

"That would be because we don't have any classes together, Toph," Katara said, eyeing Toph's open-mouthed and rambunctious chewing. "You're two years younger than me."

Toph waved a hand around blindly. "Details."

Katara gave her a look and Aang rolled his eyes playfully. "Ignore her. You know how she gets after she wins a tournament."

"You won?" Sokka shrieked, standing up from his chair and brandishing his spoon wildly in the air. "Yes! Duke and Pipsqueak owe me money!"

Suki made a face. "You've been beating on Toph's spars? Again?"

Sokka nodded enthusiastically. "Uhhh yeah! And making money!" He turned to Toph and leant across the entirety of the table, whacking Teo and Haru in the face and nearly knocking Aang's food flying. He grasped Toph's hands between his own and made a ridiculous face. "Thank you, your Majesty, for being an awesome goddess of kung-fu!"

"It isn't kung-fu, it's–"

"Thank you, Empress of Beauty, for shining you light down upon me in my hour of need. Because of you, I can finish shopping and building my masterpiece!"

Katara sighed, flicking one of Toph's hot chips into his face. It splattered across his forehead and slid down, leaving a trail of red tomato sauce behind. "Are you done?"

Sokka didn't reply, but slunk back into his seat. Suki patted his hand sympathetically and Katara turned to Haru.

"Zuko and Jet not gracing us with their presence today?" she asked.

Haru shook his head. "Zuko and Jet are spending time with the other half today." He gestured blandly at a table across the room, where Azula, Ty Lee, Mai, Yue, Lon Sho, Bee, Jet, Chin and Zuko sat; laughing at Ty Lee's energetic demonstration of what Katara thought was a new dance move.

"Huh," was all she replied.

Toph snorted. "Not disappointed, are you Sugar Queen? Upset that you won't have Jet fawning all over you like a love sick puppy dog?"

Katara scoffed. "Jet fawns over everyone."

"True," Toph conceded, "but you have to admit, he lavishes you with a much more chivalrous array of one-liners."

Katara gaped at her. "Lavishes? Chivalrous? Toph, are you feeling okay?" Katara leant forward and placed a hand on the younger girl's cheek, checking her temperature. Toph flailed, making noises that had no meaning.

The hawk made a sound on her shoulder when one of Toph's grimy hands swung to close for comfort. Immediately, all eyes turned to her.

"Uh… what's with the bird?" Suki questioned.

"He was in a pear tree in front of my locker."

Suki blinked. "Uh… repeat that. Please."

Katara took a breath. "I was heading to my locker after class, and all these people were staring at me and whispering. I had no idea what was going on, then Ty Lee appeared out of nowhere and bounced around me, telling me all about the decorating committee. After I made my escape, I found this pear tree sitting in front of my locker with this hawk in it, and a note from someone called Anonymous."

Suki blinked. Toph broke into cackles. "Someone's got a secret admirer!"

Normalcy returned. Suki and Toph had been the only two listening to her, and they turned back to a private conversation. Sokka commandeered her hawk's full and undivided attention. She played with the edge of her frayed bookmark as it poked out between the pages of her book, thinking.

She jumped when she felt Aang's tap on her shoulder. "Good book?"

She shrugged. "To early to tell."

He nodded, like he understood, and went back to his conversation with Teo. Katara bit her lip and studied him. Usually, Aang was all over her…

**xXx**

Katara groaned for the hundredth time and collapsed onto her bed. Her bird – who Sokka had dubbed Hawky, and who Katara hadn't bothered to rename – crooned from its place on the end of her bed.

"I have such a killer headache," she growled. Her last period of the day had been torture. She hadn't been able to pay any attention to Professor Pakku or his lecture, all her thoughts directed towards this latest mystery.

She had dragged the pear tree home in Sokka's car and placed it in the corner of her lounge room, observing it from every possible angle as she looked for even a speck of lint of bug that could give her an answer. There was nothing. Nada. Zilch. The well thought-out-ness of it almost made her knock out Aang from her list, but she knew for a fact that when it came to her, he was a genius...

Sort of.

Her head throbbed again and she squeezed her eyes shut, pushing her eye with the palm of her wrist.

She needed to stop this. Whoever this person was, she couldn't let them get to her.

She would simply act like nothing had ever happened and see if they would slip up.

Tomorrow, she would forget that this day ever happened. Tomorrow, she would go about her anti-Christmas ways happily and ignore the note and niggling in the back of her head.

* * *

**Authors Note**: First chapter is done! I would really like to know your thoughts. If you think Katara is OOC, all will be explained. She is a bit of a Grumpy, Grouchy Grinch for very good reasons that make sense when I explain in later chapters! Any one know who the gift-giver is? Any ideas?

Yes, this is a modern day non-bending High School A/U. It made more sense then trying to fit Christmas into the Avatarverse, and I don't mind an A/U. And yes, you weren't imagining things. I gave a very good nod to Harry Potter with the house ties! It just seemed right, giving the characters some connection to their bending nation. I have been over this quiet a few times, but I make no promises: I have no beta and edit each of my chapters as best I can.

Here is a teaser for next chapter:

_He laughed, deep and throaty. "Now that's not very ladylike, Kittycat."_

_She whipped around. "Don't ever call me that," she snapped._

_"It's better than calling someone a douchebag, isn't it?" He pushed off the table. "This has been a stimulating visit. I'll cherish it for a long time to come."_

_Okay. That was it. "You know, you're right. How wrong of me to call you a douchebag. Because a douchebag is too nice of a word for you," she said, smiling sweetly. "You're a dickhead."_

_"A dickhead?" he repeated. "How charming."_

_She flipped him off._

_"Why do all you conversations regress to this?" Yue asked tiredly, shaking her head._

_Jet smiled roguishly. "Because Zuko has none of my charm, or talent, with the ladies."_

**Read and Review** and let me know your thoughts!

- EIS


	2. Turtle Doves

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:**… There is an actual plot, a story along with it. Said story is more apparent in later chapters, so stay tuned! I have written the first eight or so chapters, and plan to update once a day right up till Christmas Eve!

**Warnings for this chapter**: **Jet and Zuko**...

**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Two:** Turtle Ducks

_On the second day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree_

* * *

Thursday, 14th

**xXx**

See, when a person wakes up at six in the morning and finds someone leaning down really close to their face, staring at them, their reflex kind of _was_ to hit them in the face. Katara's reflex was special, so she hits them in the face really, really hard. Moreover, when they flail backwards, fall down, and hit their head on that person's recently acquired pear tree, that person _does_ feel the urge to laugh. Until they realize who it was.

And then they had to wonder why the _hell_ that person was in their room in the first place

"Yue?" Katara yell-whispered, scrambling out of her warm bed to help her dazed friend up off the floor. "What in Spirits name do you think you are doing?"

Yue smiled up at Katara, wincing as she moved her head, and rubbed her neck with a dark hand. "Hello Katara. Thought I would stop by to see if you wanted to get breakfast with me before school started."

Katara made a baffled face. "How did you even get in?"

Yue shrugged, fixing her blue-and-silver tie. "Your Gran Gran let me in."

Of course her Gran Gran would let Yue Moon in. She had been in love with Katara's best friend since Yue had been introduced. Yue had even dated Sokka for a while, something Gran Gran blessed her for and cursed Sokka for. Katara had been fourteen, Sokka and Yue both fifteen, and their relationship had seemed perfect. Sokka dotted on her, Yue actually paid attention to him and laughed at his absolutely pathetic jokes. Then, suddenly, they weren't together any more. Neither Sokka nor Yue would tell her why they had broken up, and whenever Katara breached the topic – two years later – they would go quiet and give her the exact same, word-for-word, response.

"Katara?" Yue asked, snapping her fingers in front of Katara's nose and startling her.

"Sorry, what?"

Yue sighed, rolling her eyes, and dusted off her school skirt. "Hurry up and get changed. School starts at nine, and we haven't chatted in a long time."

"And whose fault is that?" Katara grumbled under her breath, shrugging out of her pyjama pants and pulling on some of her woolliest tights. A chill was attached to the air as the dark, heavy clouds threatened to drop a tonne of snow on her lovely little city. Katara had always known when it was going to snow, just like she always knew when it was going to rain.

Yue had left her alone to get changed and Katara sighed in relief, pulling off her Dad's over-sized and well-worn t-shirt. She shivered as the cold air kissed her bare shoulders and chest and quickly pulled on a bra. Unintentionally, her eyes moved to observe the pear tree in the corner of her room. As she got dressed, Katara continued to mull over the strange events of the previous day.

Katara had had an absolutely horrid night, tossing and turning as she tried to figure out what game _Anonymous_ was playing. If yesterday was some sort of joke, Katara hadn't been able to find the punch line. So, did that mean it was actually a proper gift? Shaking her head, Katara pulled on her blazer and quickly plaited her hair, minding the hair loopies, and made her way into the lounge room.

Yue was standing on tip-toes, trying to reach something on the top of the shelves. Katara frowned for a moment, then saw the outline of Hawky and chuckled. Yue made a pleased noise and Katara looked back to see the hawk perched on her shoulder and playing with a stand of her snow white hair.

"He's adorable!" Yue said, smiling softly in a way that still made Katara jealous, even after two years. She really was beautiful, Yue Moon, and any bloke would be lucky to have her. She had brains, charm and, if you liked that sort of thing, money. As the daughter of a politician, Yue had her fair share of spotlight. And she hated it almost as much as Katara despised Christmas.

"Katara!" Katara turned around to see her Gran Gran sitting in her rocking chair, the Weather Channel on mute. "Why did I find that bird peeking at the cupboard this morning?"

Katara shrugged. "He was a gift."

"A gift?" Yue asked, her face a mask of puzzlement, before she giggled as Hawky flapped his wings in outrage. Obviously the bird didn't like being ignored.

Katara gave her a look, then remember that Yue had been sitting with Zuko the day before. "Oh, that's right. You missed everything." At her grandmother and best friend's expectant looks, Katara launched into an explanation of the day's events.

Her Gran Gran had a knowing glint in her eye. "That explains quite a bit, then."

Katara turned fully to face her grandmother, frowning in disbelief. "What?"

Gran Gran waved a hand around dismissively. "Nothing, dear. Nothing to worry about. You go have fun, now, and take an umbrella." Before Katara could question her further, the Weather Channel came to life again.

Scowling, Katara swiped up her bag and dragged Yue away from the hawk.

"Oh, and Katara," her Gran Gran called out, her voice a soft lull. "Make sure you're home on time tonight. You're father and I need to tell you something important."

Well, if that wasn't ominous, Katara didn't know what would be.

**xXx**

Katara ended up dragging Yue to her favourite coffee shop, Café Cobalt, and plopping down into a corner booth by the window. It was nearing seven-thirty and people were slowly creeping out of their homes to brave the freezing winter morning. Yue had chatted to Katara about her latest misgivings with her father, when Katara noticed the person working the counter and groaned.

"What?" Yue asked looking up from her menu in alarm. "What is it, Tara?"

Katara allowed her head to smack into the table top. "Qui-Gon is working."

Yue furrowed her brows and made to turn around. Katara all but launched across the table top, grabbing Yue's hand. "Don't turn around!"

Yue used the reflective surface of the napkin dispenser instead and her eyes widened in understanding.

"Still after you after the Red Smoothie incident?"

"Yes!" Katara cried, slapping her forehead. "He just won't let it go! And whenever he's on counter and serves me, he gets my order wrong, or he makes some disgusting concoction that should be classified as poisonous… I swear he spat in my smoothie one day."

Yue eyed the man warily, before her face split into a dazzling smile. "I promise to charm the dickens out of him," Yue swore, sitting up and readjusting her beret. "I shall charm him with such force that when I am done, he will be left lying limply on the ground, trying to remember his own name."

"The man's seventy-nine," muttered Katara. "He may well have the problem anyway." Yue shrugged and marched up to the counter any way. Katara moodily started ripping up a napkin, trying to get one long ripped line.

The bell above the door dinged, announcing the arrival of another set of patrons, and Katara lifted her eyes just high enough to get a good look at them. It was two boys, a little older then Katara, both fine-boned and relatively handsome. Fair hair hung to the shoulders of one, while the other was darker skinned and dark haired. He had eyes the colour of a summer sky, and was impeccably dressed in a tailored jacket over grey trousers. He caught Katara's eye and smiled, flashing bright white teeth, and she frowned in response.

He looked vaguely familiar to Katara, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen him before. And that he was important in some way.

"He isn't that bad," Yue's voice startled Katara so badly that she ripped right through her destroyed napkin.

"What?" she asked quickly, trying to relax her high-strung body

Yue gave her a worried look. "I said Qui-Gong isn't so bad. Hey, Katara, are you alright? You seem like you have seen a ghost or something."

Katara shook her head. "Just lost in thought."

Yue nodded, worry still making her forehead pucker but she gave a warm smile and slid Katara her green tea and apple. Katara took a big bite and chewed thoughtfully, still eyeing the boys that had entered moments ago. They stood together, heads bowed, but Katara could swear they kept looking over in her direction. Slowly, the darker skinned boy stood up and started making his way towards her table.

Katara knew that her mouth dropped open, half-chewed food included, when he slid into the seat beside her and slung an arm casually around her shoulder. "Hello, Yue."

Katara could have smacked herself. This was Hahn. The boy Yue had been engaged to when she was sixteen, against her will, mind, but the point still stood.

"Hahn. I didn't realise I would be seeing you so soon," Yue said, her voice shaking with emotion.

Katara frowned at her. She did not appreciate being kept in the dark about Yue's life. It was why she had agreed to this whole breakfast thing. Something was going on between these two again, and Katara had a sinking feeling that she wouldn't like it one bit.

"I'm Hahn Izura," he greeted pleasantly, turning to look at Katara. "My friend over there is Renji," he added, jerking his chin toward his friend, who Katara eyed warily. Renji stood up and joined them, sliding into the spare chair beside Yue, and nodding in greeting.

"Can I get you ladies anything else?"

"I'm fine," Katara replied, raising her cup to illustrate the point. "I already ordered." Yue kicked her under the table and Katara yelped in pain.

Yue smiled benevolently. "Could you possibly get us some banana bread?"

Hahn nodded. "Of course." He stood up and Renji went with him, the two of them heading over to the counter. Katara immediately lent forward and started scolding Yue.

"What was that all about?"

Yue gave her a sad look. "Katara, please, just be careful."

"What?" Katara hissed in outrage. "Why should I be careful? I don't know them! And weren't you engaged to Hahn at one point?"

Yue shook her head jerkily. "Katara, please, just trust me. This was one of the things I wanted to tell you about." If Yue was about to say anything else, it was lost as the two boys reappeared, banana bread in tow.

"Thank you," Yue beamed. Katara said nothing, crossing her arms over her chest and scowling. They paid her no attention.

"Do you live around here Renji?" Yue asked politely, watching the other boy with something akin to melancholy.

"Mmm."

"Go to school?"

"Graduated last year."

Hahn rolled his eyes and turned his full attention on Katara. "So, you still haven't told me your name."

She narrowed her eyes. "Katara Dagat."

Hahn raised an eyebrow. "Dagat? Isn't your father the chief of police or something?"

"Or something."

Hahn watched her, blue eyes calculating, and reached out. Katara froze as his fingers grazed over her blazer pocket… and her breast. "Avatar High?" he straightened out her collar, his fingers creeping around her neck and making her shiver with something completely unpleasant. "I just moved to town. I'll be going starting their today."

"Really?" Katara tried to scoot out of reach, but she was caught between the window and Hahn.

"We will be seeing a lot of each other, I think," Hahn murmured, moving closer still. Katara felt her heart increase – not in the nice way.

When she heard a voice like crackling fire – "Izura, what are you doing here?" – Katara could have kissed Zuko Agni just then.

Hahn moved away from her, taking his time, and Katara breathed out in relief, trying to shake away the ickiness that was crawling over her skin. Zuko stood just beside their table, Jet behind him, arms crossed over his broad chest. He wasn't wearing either the school blazer or jumper, just the long sleeved white shirt and grey trousers. His red-and-gold tie was loose around his neck.

Katara could already feel his natural heat from her place by the window.

"Agni," Hahn scowled. "What a… pleasant surprise. Having a good day?"

"Until your face arrived," Jet muttered, glaring daggers at the two boys sitting beside Katara and Yue.

"Polite as ever, Rebel."

Zuko placed a hand on his friends shoulder in warning and turned back. He lifted his one eyebrow, pulling his scar up along with it. Katara wanted to slap Hahn when he looked away from Zuko's face, a sneer pulling his lips. "Why are you here, Izura?"

Hahn said nothing, standing up and gesturing for Renji to do the same. "Nothing any more. I know when I'm not wanted." He turned to Katara and Yue and gave a mock salute. "See you around, Katara Dagat."

Katara wouldn't look at him; she was too busy Not Looking at Zuko, who had possibly just saved her from being molested. Again. Despite the heat in her face, it felt as if cold needles of ice were running up and down her veins.

When Hahn was safely out the door, Jet immediately slid into the seat besides Yue – and across from Katara – and Zuko leant forward, hands braced on the table top, staring at her intently.

"You okay?"

"What are you doing here?"

Zuko drew back slightly, looking disappointed. "That isn't really an answer to my question, you know. I was expecting more of a 'Hallelujah Chorus'. I mean, it's not every day your prince comes and saves you from the monster. For all you knew, I could have been dead, slaughtered by said monster."

"I already knew you weren't dead." Her lips felt numb and Katara suddenly had the urge to drink a large glass of water. "I saw you in the dining hall, yesterday. With-"

"Colonel Mustard?"

"-The others. And you aren't a prince."

Zuko snorted. "Funny. The tens of thousands of people back in my home country would disagree. And possibly have you arrested for treason."

Katara wondered why she always forgot that Zuko was Azula's brother, and thus the prince of whatever country they came from. She decided it had something to do with his personality.

"My prince, then," Katara snapped like a pissed off three-year old. "And thank you," she muttered and added under her breath, "Douchebag."

He laughed, deep and throaty. "Now that's not very ladylike, Kittycat."

She whipped around. "Don't ever call me that," she snapped.

"It's better than calling someone a douchebag, isn't it?" He pushed off the table. "This has been a stimulating visit. I'll cherish it for a long time to come."

Okay. That was it. "You know, you're right. How wrong of me to call you a douchebag. Because a douchebag is too nice of a word for you," she said, smiling sweetly. "You're a dickhead."

"A dickhead?" he repeated. "How charming."

She flipped him off.

"Why do all you conversations regress to this?" Yue asked tiredly, shaking her head.

Jet smiled roguishly. "Because Zuko has none of my charm, or talent, with the ladies."

Katara choked on her tea. Yue laughed. "We should probably get to school," Zuko said, giving Jet a Significant look which made the other boy blush madly. Katara swore she heard Zuko mutter something like, _not the one girl that counts, right Jet?_

"Joy," Jet ground out, ignoring Zuko. "I have always wanted to die of an epileptic fit caused by fairy lights." Katara couldn't help but agree.

**xXx**

The Christmas lights were still happily shining. It made Katara wonder what the power bill for the school would be like, and if Iroh ever turned them off. She decided that the bill must be covered by the outrageous school fees that everyone paid.

Something was amiss though. The Christmas music that Katara had become accustomed to wasn't playing obnoxiously from the speakers. The only sounds in the school were the hundreds of students trying to get to lunch.

It was fantastic.

Then, someone had to go ask Ty Lee why the music wasn't playing, and with a cry of, "Oh my gosh! You are so right! I have to fix this at once!" Ty Lee sprinted away to turn the music back on. Katara wasn't the only one who scowled at On Ji.

Katara stewed the whole way to her locker.

She was so busy stewing and thinking off completely legal ways to make Ty Lee and her Christmas music disappear when her shin connected with something hard. She stumbled, dropping her books everywhere and bit her lip to keep from shouting out. She glared around the hall at any one who dared laugh and looked down.

Her breath caught.

It was a small brown box, sitting on top of a stool. There were no markings or any other indication of where it had come from – or who it had come from – but she knew immediately and stopped breathing.

Cursing herself for her own stupid teenaged girl feelings, Katara turned around and twisted her lock around, putting in the combination and collecting her crackers, lettuce and cheese for lunch. She closed her locker again and risked a look down.

It was still there.

"Are you going to do anything about that?" one of the boys from Katara's math class asked as he waited in front of his locker. "It's kind of blocking the hallway."

Katara bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth, and allowed herself to get swept away by her curiosity. She picked up the box, kicking the chair into the corner and ignoring the boy as he grumbled to himself about girls.

She turned the box around in her hands, looking at each of its side, and slowly undid the simple bow that tied it. To Katara's surprise it was a bracelet, with two white birds engraved onto a flat nameplate. Their beaks were touching together, wings spread out behind them. Carefully, she slid it on, clasping it. It fit perfectly.

A small piece of white paper fluttered out of one of her locker's vents and fell to the ground. She ground her teeth together and picked it up.

_Katara,_

_Did you really think you would only get one gift? And they're doves, a symbol for peace and love._

_Love Anonymous_

Katara looked down at the engraving, and then thought back to Hawky bugging the hell out of her grandmother at home. Did Anonymous have a thing for birds? And what had the pear tree been all about. Sure, Katara loved a good pear, but really?

She sighed. "You must enjoy watching me squirm," she muttered.

"Ah, Miss Dagat!" She jumped, Iroh startling her into a heart attack as the old man trotted down the hallway. Today he was wearing an elf hat, complete with pointy ears.

"Hi si… Iroh." The old man beamed at her. Katara couldn't believe that he was Zuko and Azula's uncle. He was so… happy. They were not.

He eyed the little box in her hand with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Ah, I see someone is giving out their gifts early this year! Wonderful!"

Katara eyed him like he was a crazed animal. She wondered if she could get a detention for that, then quickly dismissed the thought. Iroh Angi? Give a detention? Only when Azula kissed her brother… only when pigs flew through the hallways...

She managed a smile. "Seems like it."

"You don't seem impressed, Miss Dagat."

She decided that telling Iroh about Anonymous was safe enough. "It'd be nice if they left a name, so I could say thank you properly."

Iroh gave her an all knowing look. "Discretion is the better part of valour, didn't you know Miss Dagat."

* * *

**Authors Note**: Ta da! Second Day of Christmas over! What do you think? Good? Bad? Ugly?

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

Anywho, things are starting to heat up! The first part of the actual plot appears in this chapter, and Katara is already losing her mind over her admirer. Zuko and Jet finally appear, and In case who haven't noticed, besides Toph and Azula, are my favourite characters to write about. Toph, Azula, Jet and Zuko are just so deliciously snarky, snippy and sarcastic. It's the BEST! Jet and Zuko... damn, I love those boys. I've written a great scene with the two of them in chapter 6 and look forward to showing it off to you lot. Pairing wise, Zuko/Jet is my third favourite!

I'm trying to be a little creative with the gift giving. My favourite gift (so far, from what I have written) is the "Seven Swans A Swimming". From what I have planned, it's a tie between "Lords a Leaping" and "Drummers Drumming".

Here is a teaser for next chapter:

_"So," Toph chirped, her eyes misting with a look that made Katara want to crawl into a hole. "When can I expect an invitation to the wedding?"_

_Teo choked on his apple juice and Aang spluttered out an unintelligible remark. Katara couldn't even form sentences, to busy trying to kill Toph with her eyes._

_She cursed her own stupidity. She should have known Toph would take the existence of Anonymous and twist it into something highly entertaining… for her._

_"We aren't getting married!" Aang stammered out, eyes flicking between Toph and Katara wildly._

_Toph raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Twinkle Toes? So, what, do you just have a bird fetish?"_

_She was going to kill Toph._

_"Bird fetish?" Aang yelped._

_"What else could it be but some desperate attempt to get yourself off with the two things you love most in the world?"_

_Toph was going to die slowly… and painfully._

**Read and Review** and let me know your thoughts!

- EIS


	3. French Hens

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** Christmas! This was bugging me, so I've been naughty and writing this instead of Ruins for Crows…

Any way, it isn't just pointless fluff! There is an actual plot, a story along with it, Said story is more apparent in later chapters, so stay tuned! I have written the first eight or so chapters, and plan to update once a day right up till Christmas Eve!  
**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Three:** French Hens

**xXx**

_On the first day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

"Do you like it?" Suki asked self-consciously to Katara late on Thursday night. She touched the green ribbon in her auburn hair and toyed with one of the ends. Katara nodded, trying to act naturally, and not let her nerves get the better of her.

"Good," Suki breathed in relief. "Haru found them in a Christmas box in the back of the art room. He said they would look nice in my hair."

Haru?

"Where is Haru anyway?" Katara asked, trying to slow down her words.

"In the den with the boys," Suki shrugged.

"Thanks Suki… and forget we ever had this conversation, okay?" Katara added as an afterthought, standing up and fixing her skirt. She hadn't bothered to change when she had gotten home.

Suki gave her a perplexed look. "Whatever petal."

Was Haru her admirer? Suki's ribbon looked identical to the one Katara had found wrapped around her box at school. Or had someone set it up to set Haru up? And if it was Haru, what exactly was she going to do about it?

She cursed him with every fibre in her body, feeling the tightening that usually indicated another head ache. She though that he acted like a brother to her, most of the time – always asking after her, and protecting her from all the big bad boys that wanted to date her. Was it that, or was Haru doing those things because he wanted to date her himself? Out of jealousy?

Katara, so lost in her thoughts, hadn't been watching where she was going and collided into a very hard wall. Fumbling around, Zuko – not a wall after all – reached out and caught hold of her wrist before she could tumble backwards and land on the floor.

"Sorry," Katara yelped, ripping her hand out of Zuko's rather warm grip.

"Guess we were both a little distracted," he replied. "Are you alight, Katara?" he asked, watching her, analysing her in that way he had that made her very uncomfortable. He looked at everyone that way. Like they were a puzzle, or an enemy he needed to defend against.

She wondered if it had anything to do with the civil war that had divided his country. Katara knew for a fact that Zuko had gone against his father and taken away his throne. He had won, but people were still trying to kill him. Remembering, suddenly, that that was why he and Azula had moved here.

"I'm fine."

Knowing Zuko, they would start bickering at any moment. She moved to the left and tried to hurry past him. He gave her an amused glance when he deliberately moved the same way. "In a hurry?"

"Yes."

He shook his head and stepped aside. "Don't mind me, I was just leaving. The holidays are an intense time. My Uncle just sent me a whole bunch of papers to read over regarding home and the government."

"Lucky you."

"Have a nice evening to you to, Katara."

Katara waited for her front door to shut behind him before she sprinted to the basement, flying down the stairs to the loud, blaring music and video gamers. She made sure to compose herself before entering.

She came up to the couch and quickly sat down. Haru, Sokka, Aang and Toph were going at it in some racing game. She decided to wait until they had to break. Haru took the break, exactly like she hoped, to talk to her.

"Break time," he sighed, rotating his head on his neck and standing up to stretch languidly. Katara caught sight of a toned stomach as his shirt pulled up.

"You cheated!" Sokka shirked, standing up and pointing an accusatory finger at the other boy's body.

"Haru didn't cheat, Sokka," Aang said, ever the mediator. "He just got that last power boost and managed to get by everyone."

"And I don't need to cheat to beat you, Sokka."

"Whatever. I got this new game, so give me a minute to get it from my room. I'll open a can of whoop-ass and beat you to a pulp!" Sokka stuck out his tongue before he sprinted out of the room, shouting at their Gran Gran to ask if the cookies she had been baking with Suki were ready. Suki couldn't cook to save her own life, so she and Gran Gran had taken her under their wing.

"So," Haru said slowly as Aang followed Sokka out after her Gran Gran announced the cookies were done. "What's up?"

"The sky," she intoned dryly, her smile giving away her attitude.

Haru laughed. "Fine then, if you want to do things like that. What is happening in your life, Katara?"

"Christmas. Spirit."

Haru winced. "Yeah… Ty Lee did go a bit over board, didn't she? I hear Santa is actually going to be visiting to listen to our wishes."

Katara gaped. "No way."

"That's what I heard."

"From who?"

"Ty Lee."

They sat in silence for a bit, Katara horrified at the prospect of an old man in a suit listening to teenaged girls babble on about life while they sat in his lap. Someone was going to be sexually harassed. She just knew it.

She blinked, clearing her head of that unnatural picture, and turned to Haru. "Hey, where did you get the ribbon you gave Suki?"

Haru looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "What? Jealous I didn't give you one?"

Katara flushed angrily. "No!" Why was her interrogation turning out so bad?

Haru chuckled. "Joking, joking. I found them in some half-empty decoration boxes in the library. I figured Suki might enjoy them, use them as a head band or something." He turned to look at her fully. "Why?"

"They're nice," Katara said carefully, watching Haru's reaction.

"I would have given you some if I had known that you would like them, Katara. Seriously, I would have!" he said quickly, his eyes widening. Katara shook her head.

_Interesting reaction right there._

"Don't worry about it, Haru," she said as Sokka and Aang returned with a plate full of cookies.

Red herring or actual lead?

* * *

Friday, 15th

**xXx**

Katara woke up with a gasp on Friday morning, her breath coming in sharp pants, and her skin slick with cold sweat. Her dream had been so vivid, but even as she lay there, thinking about it, details were already slipping away, fading into nothingness. She had been walking down her hallway, books piled high in her arms; a song played from the speakers, soft and easy. Familiar. The words…

A sharp noise to her right made her scream and fall out of bed. She rolled over into a crouch, groaning as cold air met her skin, and eyed off Hawky in his homemade cage. The bird looked at her disgustedly.

"Annoying bird," she mumbled, standing up and going to pet him. He snapped at her fingers and she yelped. "Stupid bird!"

She rattled the cage, startling the bird and plopped back down on her bed. The dream was gone.

**xXx**

Aang watched Katara as she angrily attacked her noodles. "Ah, is something wrong, Katara?"

Katara's eyes shot up to the boy. They, alongside Toph and Teo, were the only ones eating at the table today. All juniors and seniors had some sort of meeting in the theatre, so Suki, Sokka, Yue, Zuko, Haru, Jet, Lon Sho and Mai Nagoya had abandoned their respective friends. Bee was sitting beside Teo, chatting happily about something football related, while Azula and Ty Lee sat alone on their table.

Aang had been rather quite lately. Katara looked at his actions over the past week, and decided that maybe Aang was finding it hard to keep his identity as Anonymous a secret. He hated secrets, almost as much as he hated meat and fighting.

She wondered if he at least suspected that he – or, at least, Anonymous – was the cause of both her short temper and distress lately. It had gotten to the point where she had contemplated killing all four boys and be done with it: Zuko, Haru, Jet and Aang, just so it would bloody well stop.

She really hated Christmas.

Absently, she touched the cover of her book.

"Nothing is wrong, Aang. Just a little tired is all." She managed a rather pathetic, weak smile. Aang ate it up, beaming brightly like a child on their birthday.

"How is it going?"

Katara blinked. "You just asked that."

Aang flushed, his cheeks going bright red. "I meant how the book is going."

Katara stopped stroking it, pulling her hand back sharply. "Haven't been able to read much lately. Homework and everything is really starting to pile up, you know. Plus, I'm doing the two subjects a year early, so I've been studying, preparing for the exams."

Aang smiled affectionately, pulling her into a hug. "I get what you mean. Some of my school books… they really should come with warning labels: Caution: contains characters and plots guaranteed to induce sleepiness. Do not attempt to operate heavy machinery after ingesting more than one chapter; has been known to cause blindness, seizures and a terminal loathing of literature. Should only be taken under the supervision of a highly trained English teacher. Preferably one who grades on the curve."

Katara laughed, her whole body shaking with the feeling. Aang had never looked as pleased as he laughed alongside her, still holding her in a one armed hug. When Katara came back for air, she noticed Teo, Bee and Toph watching them with varying looks of surprise and suspicion.

"So," Toph chirped, her eyes misting with a look that made Katara want to crawl into a hole. "When can I expect an invitation to the wedding?"

Teo choked on his apple juice, and Aang spluttered out some unintelligible remark. Katara couldn't even form sentences, to busy trying to kill Toph with her eyes.

She cursed her own stupidity. She should have known Toph would take the existence of Anonymous and twist it into something highly entertaining… for her.

"We aren't getting married!" Aang stammered out, eyes flicking between Toph and Katara wildly.

Toph raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Twinkle Toes? So, what, do you just have a bird fetish?"

She was going to kill Toph.

"Bird fetish?" Aang yelped.

"What else could it be but some desperate attempt to get yourself off with the two things you love most in the world?"

Toph was going to die slowly… and painfully.

"Toph, please, I have no idea what you're talking about! I'm not… like that with birds… or anything! I'm not like that with anything!"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Twinkle Toes. I'll pretend to believe you so you'll stop burning alive. Honestly, only Sparky can be that hot and pull off that level of heat."

Toph wasn't going to die. Katara was going to lock her up and torture her day in day out until she was old and grey and wishing that she could have been murdered years and years ago.

"What? Zuko? Are you serious? I didn't even realise you thought of him that way!"

Teo interjected as Katara was far too busy plotting Toph's demise. "Come on, Aang. You need to help me get my books out of the locker. You know I can't reach while I'm in the wheel chair."

Aang cast a look at Katara and went to hug her goodbye, before blushing, looking at Toph, and deciding against it. "Bye guys!" he yelled, before racing out of the cafeteria.

Toph cackled happily, cracking her knuckles. "Well, I'm off too!"

Katara came back to herself. Her victim was escaping! "Where are you going?"

"I have to meet some people, do some things," Toph replied non-committedly.

"Meeting and _doing _people, are you Toph?" Bee smirked, lifting an eyebrow at Toph. Katara nearly fainted in surprise when Toph actually blushed like she was embarrassed… or flustered.

"Later losers."

"Say hi for me, will you? Before you do whatever it is you need to do," Bee yelled with a happy wave as Toph's checks flamed even brighter. Katara sat in silence, watching Bee with a gaping mouth.

Bee, after finishing her lunch and can of lemonade, turned to look at Katara with a confused look. "What?"

"You broke Toph," was all Katara could say.

Bee choked on her soft drink. "I… broke Toph?"

"Yes! You broke Toph!"

"How did I break Toph?"

"You broke her!"

"Yes, I understand that Katara, but how?"

"She blushed! She was blushing! You made her embarrassed! You broke her! Toph doesn't get embarrassed!"

Bee looked heavenward and mumbled something under her breath.

"What? What did you just say?"

"Don't worry about it, Sugar Queen."

"No!" Katara said like petulant child. "I want to know." Because it had sounded suspiciously like _I don't know what he sees in you_.

"I don't think you really want to know, _Sugar Queen_," Bee said, emphasising Katara's nickname and innocent, some-what naïve nature. Katara flushed opening and closing her mouth, but not saying anything.

"Fine. Don't tell me," she said. "But I will find out Bee. One way or another."

Bee gave Katara a look. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you were flirting with me."

"Me? You? That? No!" Katara spluttered, feeling completely off balance and out of her comfort zone.

"And now that you mention flirting..."

"You mentioned flirting! I didn't!"

"Aang really was trying there. And it looked like he was doing rather well. Didn't realise the kid had it in him," Bee murmured, picking at a chip slathered in tomato sauce.

"Are you serious?" Katara said, finally getting control over herself again. "He doesn't even like me."

"Of course he likes you," Bee snapped. "You're, I hate to admit it, _nice_. He probably just doesn't get it. Some men have to be hit over the head with it." Her year mate rolled her eyes. "I thought I'd have to draw Long Shot a giant sign. That or kidnap him and have my evil way with him, until he got the message."

To. Much. Information.

"Ah!" Katara and Bee turned around, like they were stuck in slow motion, to see Iroh approaching. Today he had a bauble or three hanging from his beard. "Ladies! How are you on this spectacular day?"

"Great, thanks Professor," Bee said carefully, edging away from the old man.

Iroh clapped his hands. "And you, Miss Dagat?"

"Could be better," she said, aiming a glare at Bee, who had managed to stand up and was slowly backing away from Iroh.

"Ohhhh," Iroh said, sounding like a ten year old girl. "Were you and young Bee having a disagreement?"

"Yep."

"About what, may I ask?"

"Boys. And our opinions on our friends."

Iroh's eyes sparked. "Well, they do say that birds of a feather flock together."

Katara had no idea what he meant by that, but the mere mention of birds had her on edge.

"Professor?"

"Iroh! It is Iroh, Miss Dagat! You are my nephew's particular friend!" Suddenly, he turned jolly again. "Has he issued the invitation to our Saturday night dinner yet, Miss Dagat?"

"Dinner?"

Iroh seemed horrified. "He hasn't told you? I am having all his friends over for dinner on Saturday, for Christmas, you see. It is a time of love and family, after all, and you have become his family since he arrived. It is my way of thanking you all for letting him into your life, and helping through a… dark time."

Katara had never felt so uncomfortable in her life. Before she could respond, Iroh had clapped his hands. "Well, I'm off, Miss Dagat. Have a nice day!"

As soon as he was chatting with a group of year nines, Katara got up and sprinted towards her locker.

Just like yesterday, the stool was back in place, in front of her locker, and four books were piled on top of it neatly. There was a navy strip of paper poking out of the top book and Katara picked it up timidly.

"French Hens Cookbook?"

What the hell?

Katara found the usual piece of folded white paper and opened it with a heavy sigh.

_Katara,_

_Thought you might enjoy another good book… or three_

_Love Anonymous_

She resisted the urge to pick up the three books and throw them across the hall at the usual crowd that had gathered around her locker. She glanced around the hallway again, scanning the crowd for any familiar feature of one of her friends, and found nothing but her year mates and younger students staring.

She gave her bets glare and turned back to her books. The navy and burgundy bookmark made her stop. _Jet. _They were his favourite colours. She picked up the next book, noticing that it was a Bird Watchers Companion, and flipped through until she landed on a page for… French hens. A red and gold bookmark sat snugly amongst the pages. _Zuko. _The last book, something about A French woman's Hen's Night, had an orange bookmark. _Aang_.

She glanced at the note again.

_Thought you might enjoy another good book…_

This was all too much. The ribbon around the jewellery box had indicated Haru. These bookmarks pointed to her other close male friends. Jet and Zuko's rather strange discussion yesterday, when they had saved Katara and Yue from Hahn and Renji made it sound like Jet, with all his flirty one-liners and lavish attention, hadn't been able to get the one girl who mattered to him. That would be Katara. She didn't care for his flirting, but this elaborate display sounded like something he would do. But it was also something Zuko, with all his money and intelligence, would do. Then, this note pointed directly at all her conversations with Aang, where she had been playing with her mother's… her book. Toph's taunting, and Bee's words at lunch also added to the whole charade. She wondered if all her friends were in on it, or whether they were just unknowing players in a bigger game of fools.

Her brain hurt, her headache exploded in a vibrant colour and searing pain and Katara wished that Christmas would die a painful death.

* * *

**Authors Note: **Day 3 is COMPLETE! BOO YAH!

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

I'm trying to be a little creative with the gift giving. My favourite gift (so far, from what I have written) is the "Seven Swans A Swimming". From what I have planned, it's a tie between "Lords a Leaping" and "Drummers Drumming".

On this chapter... what can I say? Toph has her Toph-moments were she bags the life out of Katara (which she does at the beginning of the SERIES! Don't hate on me!). You have a Katara-Haru scene and a Katara-Aang scene! Yay! More confusion for more Christmas-hating Katara as she tries to figure out who Anonymous is. Do you guys have any ideas? Any one you REALLY don't want to be her admirer?

A serious question: is everyone in character? Or at least, no one is terribly, horrifyingly OOC it's sickening?

Here is a teaser for next chapter:

_"Oh my God," Toph choked out, slapping her knee. "Your face!"_

_"Shut up, Toph!" Sokka snapped, glaring at the small girl._

_Azula spoke up again. "Really Dagat, you shouldn't take life so seriously. You won't get out alive any way."_

_Sokka turned to gape at Azula again. Katara had to agree with his look of horror and flabbergast. Azula acting human was not natural._

_"You're being… nice to me," Sokka said slowly. "The world will end tomorrow!"_

_"Unless it's postponed by rain," Azula pointed out, another small grin tugging at her lips._

**Read and Review** and let me know your thoughts!

- EIS


	4. Calling Birds

**Twelve Days of Mystery**

**Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** Christmas! This was bugging me, so I've been naughty and writing this instead of Ruins for Crows… Any way, it isn't just pointless fluff! There is an actual plot, a story along with it. Said story is more apparent in later chapters, so stay tuned! I have written the first eight or so chapters, and plan to update once a day right up till Christmas Eve!  
**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Four:** Calling Birds

**xXx**

_On the fourth day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

Saturday, 16th

**xXx**

"Do you want your scarf back?" Katara asked as she and Jet got out of their soaking wet jackets as they entered the front hall of Zuko's house on Saturday evening. Katara, in all her wisdom, had ignored her Feeling that the approaching thunderstorm was going to be a dozy, and decided to forsake Sokka's offer of a lift and walk to Zuko's. Half way there, the sky had opened up, drenching her in freezing cold water. It still hadn't dropped any snow.

Three quarters of the way there, Jet had pulled up in his car and opened the door, telling her to get in. Katara had happily obliged and wrapped the warm, nice-smelling scarf he offered around her throat as she tried to get warmth back into her hands. After a mad dash to Zuko's front porch, Katara had been saturated again.

Jet raised an eyebrow at her, allowing his eyes to skate up and down her figure. "Nope. I just want the girl that goes with it."

Dear. He really did know his pick-up lines, didn't he?

Katara made an affronted noise and tossed the dripping scarf right into his face. Jet started spluttering as he choked on the fabric and Katara, slipping off her shoes, sprinted away into the massive corridors of the house.

The first person she bumped into was Yue. "Did you come here with Jet?" she asked, scrunching up her nose at Katara's drowned appearance.

"Yes and no. I was walking, it started raining, Jet drove by, and he gave me a lift."

"Oh," was Yue's only response. She looked up at Katara with wide eyes. "Are you sure? He was flirting with you in the hallway. And he had his arm around your shoulders when he walked in."

Katara snorted. "You know as well as I do that Jet is a massive, huge, ginormous flirt. He flirted with me then; he flirts with every relatively attractive student at school, including some of the boys, and even that pot plant that sits on Zuko's front porch. It's pathological."

Yue did not look convinced. "Katara, he hasn't flirted with any one for about six weeks. Except you."

Katara blinked. "Seriously Yue. He flirts all the time."

"Not lately, he hasn't," Yue said again, her soft voice stern.

"No, he still does. I'm sure off it. Remember with Kira–"

"He wasn't flirting with Kira, remember. He had just poured hot coffee all over her blouse while trying to get Zuko back for something."

"Fine then. What about Misaki–"

"He was telling her off for having such a short skirt."

"What about…"

"Katara." Yue's tone was final. Katara deflated, leaning back against the expensive wood wall and grasping her braid in one hand. She wringed it between her hands, water trickling out, and sighed.

"Fine. Maybe he only flirts with me now. But, honestly, it's all in good fun. He doesn't mean anything by it…"

Yue smiled gently, rubbing Katara on the shoulder. "Whatever you say, Tara." With one last squeeze of her shoulder Yue turned and left, probably off to search for more people to have very uncomfortable, eye-opening conversations with.

Katara was still trying to process what Yue had explained. Looking back, she realised, Jet had been flirting with less and less people since Halloween. Except her. Katara's stomach twisted into a strange knot that was very uncomfortable. The gifts she had received since Wednesday made a little more sense, if Yue's words were any indication. Could Jet like her? And if he did, was he trying to become a better person by only flirting with her?

Katara shook her head and pushed off the wall. She would watch how Jet acted tonight, and go from there.

Katara navigated the twisting corridors with ease and arrived in the games room to chaos. Teo, Jet, Ty Lee and Aang were playing some robot video game, while Suki and Zuko played a round of pool. Bee and her boyfriend, Lon Sho – or, Long Shot, to every currently in the room – were chatting with Pipsqueak and Duke, looking rather shifty and suspicious.

Sokka and Toph were having an intense game of **Paper, Scissors, Rock** to see who could play the next round. Sokka was losing.

"I understand that Scissors can beat Paper," he ranted, as Toph cackled happily, "and I get how Rock can beat Scissors, but there's no fucking way Paper can beat Rock. Paper is supposed to magically wrap around Rock leaving it immobile? Why the hell can't paper do this to scissors? Screw scissors, why can't paper do this to people? Why isn't notebook paper constantly suffocating students while they take notes in class? I'll tell you why: because paper can't beat anybody; a rock would tear that shit up in two seconds. If that was the case, then, why don't people always choose rock when playing? Then when somebody claims to beat them with their paper, they can punch them in the face with their already clenched fist and say, _'Oh shit, I'm sorry. I thought paper would protect you, you asshole!'_"

Azula sat across from Sokka in a rather big, comfortable looking arm chair, and gave her _I'm-better-than-you_ smile. "Well, Dagat, you make a fantastic point. If this game was accurate and abided by the rules that dictate reality, rock would always win. But, considering that it is the rules of a game and not the rules that control reality, it makes sense to _not _apply the rules of the Real World."

Sokka's face turned bright red as he gaped at Azula, and Toph continued howling with laughter.

"Oh my God," Toph choked out, slapping her knee. "Your face!"

"Shut up, Toph!" Sokka snapped, glaring at the small girl.

Azula spoke up again. "Really Dagat, you shouldn't take life so seriously. You won't get out alive any way."

Sokka turned to gape at Azula again. Katara had to agree with his look of horror and flabbergast. Azula acting human was not natural.

"You're being… nice to me," Sokka said slowly. "The world will end tomorrow!"

"Unless it's postponed by rain," Azula pointed out, another small grin tugging at her lips.

"Are you alright, Azula?" Sokka asked suddenly, forgetting in his horror that he and Azula only referred to each other by their last names. "You aren't hearing voices, or seeing things that aren't really there?"

Katara held her breath. Her brother was an idiot. No one joked about insanity when Azula was in the room. When she was fourteen, she had had a break down and been locked away. Diagnosed and everything.

Katara – along with all the people who sat around the TV and watched her brother and the princess with riveted terror – wondered how Azula was going to kill her brother. Instead, the princess smirked, and said, "You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me, Sokka."

Sokka made a sound caught between a keen and a whine, and Zuko walked over. He eyed his sister warily, and glared at Sokka with venom. "Dinner's almost ready. Uncle says it shouldn't be longer than ten minutes."

Everyone went back to their business while Sokka kept staring at Azula in bug-eyed disbelief. Toph just looked scared. She moved in Zuko's general direction. "Hey, Sparky, could you give me a piggy-back to dinner?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, but knelt down in front of Toph obediently and hoisted her on to his back.

"Hold up!" Jet shouted above the arguing gamers as someone's Robot plummeted to their doom. "I'll be right back." Jet paused the game with his controller and got up from his position on the couch. Katara's eyes never moved from the billiards game Suki and Ty Lee were playing, but all her attention was directed on the older boy.

"Why do you keep pausing the game just when it gets good?" Haru complained as Jet started towards the servant's staircase that sat hidden behind a wall panel.

"What are you, a detective?" Jet snapped back dryly. "Stop asking so many questions."

"For all you know," Haru said, giving Jet a smug look. "I could be the mighty Sherlock Holmes! I could start by following this trail of garland." He swiped a magnifying glass of a nearby table and started prowling around the room.

It took all of her will power to not turn around and look at Haru. She had checked the letter box this morning, and found garlands inside, tied with a white ribbon.

"I'm up next," Katara suddenly said, completely breaking character, and headed towards the TV.

Aang stood to attention, smiling brightly. "Cool! This will be great! You never play with us!" Jet looked mildly shocked, as Haru sashayed after Jet, still babbling about being a detective and discovering Jet's secret, once and for all.

She waited for Aang to go talk to Toph, before she made a move towards the garland trail Haru had mentioned. It was the same as the garlands from her mail box this morning.

"Dinner is served!" someone shouted from the dining room. Katara got up with the rest of her friends, and trooped obediently behind them. Her head hurt. Again.

Katara made her way into the dining room, took her seat between Toph and Mai, and across from Zuko, and dug in.

Dinner was uneventful, for the most part. Ty Lee, Teo, Pipsqueak, Duke, Bee, Long Shot, Haru, Suki, Sokka, Azula, Toph, Mai, Zuko, Jet, Yue and Katara had all gathered around the huge table, Iroh sitting at the head, and talked happily. The main topic was the up and coming Winter Dance on the twenty-first – their last day of school before Christmas break began. Ty Lee was as excited as possible, talking everyone's ear off at a mile a minute.

Ty Lee had asked Azula if she had a date yet, and Iroh had gone into protective!Uncle Mode. He said something about someone taking advantage of Azula, and that had started the current debate circling the table.

"If you ever meet the man who could take advantage of Azula," Zuko said, "you'll have to let me know. I'd like to shake his hand. Or run away from him very fast, I'm not sure which."

"Not that Princess Peach would ever agree to go out with a guy that could take advantage of her," Sokka pointed out helpfully, his mouth half filled with food. "She prefers the types that she can manipulate and control easily. The mindless ones."

"Are you offering yourself up, Dagat?" Azula asked innocently enough. "How kind of you."

It took a moment for the insult to sink in past Sokka's surprise. "Oi!"

Zuko groaned. "Not again…"

"I'm trying to do the mature thing here and be polite, and then she goes and insults me!"

"Don't call Azula a she, Sokka," Yue sighed. "She is the mother's cat."

"What does that even mean?" Sokka yelled, thumping a hand on the table top.

"Stay out of it, Yue," Suki snapped.

"Don't yell at her," Jet said. "When you're the one being childish."

"No one asked you, Rebel."

"Jet…" Zuko warned, groaning into his hand again as he rubbed his face. "Suki…"

Jet looked at Zuko, his face outraged. "What? What did I do?"

Suki pouted. "I haven't done anything!"

"I feel like I'm missing something," Bee announced, turning to Toph for answers.

"Oh," Toph said. "That. A little before your time, but anyway... Sokka used to not-quite-sleep with Yue, and I think that Suki hung around to reinforce the 'not quite' part. But Suki has since been relieved of duty on that front, since Yue dumped Sokka in a nasty public spectacle. It was quite the scandal, even for those of us who saw it coming."

"It wasn't a public spectacle!" Sokka yelled. "And she didn't dump me!" Katara perked up, sitting straighter in her seat, hoping that the reason behind their break up would finally come out. "And what do you mean, _those who saw it coming_?"

"Oh, so you dumped her?" Toph asked interestedly.

"Well… no…"

"Then she dumped you."

Katara had never been so disappointed in her life.

"I wasn't trying to break up Yue and Sokka!" Suki defended, eyes darting back and forth and around the table. She sat between Haru and Sokka. "I don't like Sokka like that."

"Anymore," Toph pointed out, taking a huge bite out of her meatloaf.

"And that's beside the point!" Sokka shrieked again, pulling everyone's attention back to him.

"Well, what is the point then?" Ty Lee asked, her face confused as she watched Azula, who looked murderously in Sokka, Suki and Haru's direction. "Because I have no idea what we are talking about."

"That it never rains, but it pours." No one spoke, but Katara knew that every head turned at the same time to look at Iroh as he sat at the head of the table, hands folded in his lap carefully and his face jolly as he looked at the pile of turkey in front of him.

**xXx**

Iroh had offered rooms to everybody, as the rain was a thick curtain, and Katara had graciously accepted alongside everyone else. Jet, who half-lived in the Agni Mansion with Zuko and Azula, disappeared off to his room. Haru, Sokka and Aang had been told to bunk together, and Katara was supposedly bunking with Toph and Suki. Yue was given a room to share with Ty Lee and Bee, and Teo, Long Shot, Duke and Pipsqueak were given the final room.

Katara walked up to her door feeling a familiar lump in her throat. Jet hadn't talked to her much, spending all his time with either Azula, Zuko or Yue. Aang had been his usual, clingy and happy self and Haru had been Haru.

The boys had all disappeared about an hour ago, refusing to tell the girls where they were going, and the girls had spent the rest of the evening watching rom coms. _Love Actually _had been Katara's favourite.

Katara rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. She looked up the dimly lit hall and caught sight of another god forsaken box.

"I swear, if its more birds, I'm actually going to kill someone…" she muttered darkly, talking to herself.

Not even bothering to check – she had long since decided that this person was not going to slip up, whoever they were – Katara unceremoniously tipped the box upside down over her lap. Four little stuffed animals sat snuggly together. They were colourful, elegant, and she picked them up one by one to look at them. They felt like silk, and Katara hesitantly brushed on against her cheek. She noticed the usual tiny piece of paper sticky-taped to the bottom of the box and picked it up.

_Katara,_

_Quite a little detective, aren't we?_

_Love Anonymous_

Katara froze in the middle of the hallway. Hadn't Haru and Jet been joking about Sherlock Holmes earlier, in the games room? What exactly had it been?

Something about Jet always leaving and Haru wondering what he was up to. Jet had asked Haru if he was some kind of detective, because he had been asking a lot of questions lately.

"This is so aggravating," Katara growled to the abandoned hall.

Did that mean it was Jet or Haru? Or Zuko being wily and clever, like he was known to be? Or Aang picking up on something – her love for detective shows – and using that?

Growling as she picked up her four birds, and the garland around them, she stalked into the guest room. Each garland was a different colour. There were four, one for each bird… and one for each boy.

* * *

**Authors Note: **Day 4. Check.

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

I'm trying to be a little creative with the gift giving. My favourite gift (so far, from what I have written) is the "Seven Swans A Swimming". From what I have planned, it's a tie between "Lords a Leaping" and "Drummers Drumming".

This is a short chapter, but it was enough for some FUN DRAMA! What do you think about Azula and Sokka? Classy, right. I love writing the two of them. And Zuko/Jet/Katara/Toph. Those four in a room together... crap gets real. No real plot development in this chapter, but lots of character development. Some more information about the infamous Sokka/Yue break-up comes out, but not enough to placate Katara Dagat. Haru got a full scene to himself, and one lovely scene with Jet.

And Toph is Toph. I love writing Toph. She is a-MAHZ-ing!

Anyway, here is a teaser for next chapter:

_"Seriously, June?" Jet snapped, rubbing his face. "It's not even ten yet you're here and drinking…"_

_"Someone isn't a morning person."_

_"Catch me on any day that doesn't end in y."_

_"But every day ends in y," Ty Lee sounded very confused. Katara felt sorry for the girl. Never mind that she was just as confused._

_"That's his point. He isn't a morning person any morning of the week… or evening… or afternoon…" Zuko gave Jet a considerate look. "You just aren't a person, period."_

_Jet sighed, throwing his hands up in the air. "This is why you and I are friends, Agni. You understand me."_

_"I sense a moment," June smirked. "If you plan on having this moment right now, could you maybe both do it shirtless? It's much more meaningful for every one that way."_

**Read and Review** and tell me your thoughts  
- EIS


	5. Golden Rings

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** Christmas! This was bugging me, so I've been naughty and writing this instead of Ruins for Crows… Any way, it isn't just pointless fluff! There is an actual plot, a story along with it. Said story starts to manifest itself RIGHT NOW, so stay tuned!  
**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Five:** Golden Rings

**xXx**

_On the fifth day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Five Golden Rings  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

Sunday, 17th

**xXx**

Katara moaned as she buried herself deeply into the covers of her borrowed bed. She was wearing her underwear, and a big old shirt of Zuko's. The same dream as before floated around in her mind, teasing her whenever she reached out for it. She groaned again when she heard Toph's snores and Suki's sleep talking. She had gotten less than satisfactory sleep the night before.

The music from her dream was still drifting around in her head, still too soft for her to hear.

Then Katara launched out of bed, hair wild, when she realised that the music wasn't in her head any more. Katara chanced a glance at the clock on the wall, and saw that it was just passing five. Suki and Toph wouldn't wake up for another three hours, so she quietly crept out of the room, her sock-clad feet making no noise against the wooden floor.

The darkness of the early winter morning was a soothing balm for Katara. She took the stairs easily enough, not once slipping or tripping, and made her way down two flights to the ground floor. The music was getting louder as she navigated the hallways.

"_On the… day of Christmas… love…"_

The lyrics still weren't clear. She was heading towards the kitchen now, peering around corners cautiously, hoping to avoid any other people. She peeked into the kitchen and caught sight of Iroh's old black radio, complete with antenna, sitting on top of the refrigerator.

"… _and a… pear tree…"_

Wait, what?

"_On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…"_

Twelve days? Of Christmas?

"… _five golden rings  
Four calling birds  
Three French Hens  
Two turtle doves  
and a partridge in a pear tree…"_

No. No, no, no,no,no,no,no,nononononon…

Four calling birds, just like yesterday's patchwork bird toys. Three French hens and Friday's three books about birds, with bookmarked pages marking out the pages regarding French hens. Two turtle doves… Katara played with her bracelet, biting her lip. And the pear tree that sat in the corner of her bedroom, slowly dying with each passing day when she forgot to water it.

But True Love?

"Wait, Twelve Days?"

Katara made a noise she suspected was a whining moan, and threw herself into one of the kitchen chairs. She placed her head in her arms and took deep, calming breaths, counting to ten.

This could not be happening. This was not happening. She would not allow this to happen!

Katara sat up, determination setting her on fire, and noticed a tiny blue and silver velvet case sitting on the kitchen table in front of her. She jerked away like she was on fire, the chair making a horrible noise as it moved against the floor.

But, something inside wanted to see the rings, wanted confirmation that she was right. She snatched up the box and unkindly opened it. She allowed the gasp to slip through her throat as she stared at the five slim golden rings

Each was different. The first one was designed to look like a ring of leaves, and in the centre the leaves held a cut emerald in place. The next had a gleaming topaz in the centre, flanked by two faces, lips pulled away in a pucker. Clouds of air came from each mouth, twisting around the ring. The third held a black stone, which Katara suspected was jet, set in a plain gold band. The fourth was designed to be fire, flickering as it cradled a ruby. And finally was a silver ring, with three little sapphires, the metal carved to look like flowing water.

She picked up the note with none of her usual trepidation, and opened it.

_Katara,_

_Could I paint the colours of love  
I'd use the rainbow and I'd start  
With scarlet red for the heart  
And orange hues for purity.  
A touch of sea green for tranquillity  
Splashes of gold, like sunshine glowing  
Dabs of opal for hoping  
Swirls of blue for a world without you_

_Love Anonymous_

Katara slipped on the silver ring, sliding it easily over her right ring finger, and left the kitchen, to seek a few more hours of blessed sleep.

**xXx**

"Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, '_I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here and drink what comes out'_?" was what Katara walked in on when she woke up from her nap at eight-thirty. She paused in the doorway, eyeing off Sokka as he ranted about udders to his riveted audience: Toph, Aang, Azula, Jet, Teo and Zuko.

"Seriously Sokka?" Zuko groaned. "It's not even nine yet."

"Says the man who wakes up an hour before the sun rises every morning to do _katas_," Jet mumbled, still half asleep, into his cereal.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion!" Sokka challenged, brandishing his strawberry jam covered knife as threateningly as possible. She wasn't much, considering he hadn't tied his hair back into his traditional pony tail and it was forming a frizzy afro around his head.

"Yes Sokka," Azula spoke up, smiling diabolically. Katara started grinning, looking forward to Sokka's next round of embarrassment at Azula's talented hands. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It's just that your particular opinion is idiotic, and no one wants to know it."

"What is it," Aang started looking around the room, "with the Agni's and the Dagat's fighting each other whenever the opportunity presents itself?"

"Fun," was Zuko's simple reply.

"Look, Twinkle Toes," Toph broke in, piling her plate high with bacon. "I'll break it down for you in simple terms. If you can't beat them, you join them."

"Then you take over," Zuko muttered, pouring himself a hearty cup of orange juice. Katara slid into the seat next to him and snagged his already buttered toast off his plate. Zuko gave her a look. "Here, Katara. I wasn't hungry. Please, take my toast after I graciously let you stay in my house as an offer of my undying love."

Katara batted her eye lashes. "Thank you," she simpered back. "I think I'll take you up on that offer," she concluded, before swiping his orange juice. Zuko made a strangled noise and glared at her. Katara happily picked up a stack of pancakes and plopped them on a plate.

"Give it back," Zuko said, staring her down.

Poor choice of words.

"Okay then," Katara said, taking a gulp of juice. Then she spat back the sip she had just taken into the glass and handed it to Zuko. Zuko looked at her, then at his glass, then back at her. With a shrug, and never breaking eye contact, he brought the glass to his lips and drank.

Katara felt her own eyes widen. "Oh my… you did not just do that!" Zuko took the moment her surprise created to swipe the last five pancakes on the table – the five on her plate. "Hey! Zuko!"

Zuko smiled at her as he smothered the pancakes in lemon juice and sugar. Katara hated pancakes that way. There was no way she would be eating them now.

"Zuko!" she whined.

Zuko paused and gave her a suggestive look. "Katara, don't do that. You know what it does to me."

She felt her eyes bug out. "Excuse me?"

Toph decided to be helpful again. "He doesn't want you to moan his name like that in public, Sugar Queen." Toph, completely ignoring everyone's looks of astonishment and disgust, turned to Aang and offered her plate. "Bacon?"

"I was told never to eat my friends," Aang said.

"And your point is?"

"Animals are my friends."

Katara choose to ignore Toph and Aang and continued staring – glaring – at Zuko. "Do you know about the cuckoo bird, Zuko Agni?"

"The cuckoo bird…" she continued at his bemused look, "is a parasite. They lay their eggs in other birds' nests. When the egg hatches, the baby cuckoo pushes the other baby birds out of the nest. The poor parent birds work themselves to death trying to find enough food to feed the enormous cuckoo child who has murdered their babies and taken their places."

"Enormous?" said Zuko. "Did you just call me fat?"

Katara couldn't believe he had missed her point. "It was an analogy."

"I am not fat," and to illustrate his point, Zuko stood up and lifted his shirt off to show Katara his stomach.

Mai, Ty Lee, Suki, Yue and Iroh decided that then would be a good moment to enter the kitchen.

"I'm not even going to ask," Mai drawled out, sliding into the seat beside Zuko. Katara got a strange, liquid-warm feeling in her stomach as she watched and wondered how quickly a person could get indigestion. Must have been the orange juice…

"Wow, Zuko," Yue breathed, eyeing the prince appreciatively. "I didn't realise you looked quite like that."

Zuko blinked in surprise, while Jet's mouth dropped open, spilling his half chewed toast all over the nice table. They shared a look with so many meanings that Katara felt dizzy.

"What?" Sokka said, his eyes widening at Yue as Ty Lee and Suki nodded in agreement. "Zuko isn't… why would you say… Yue, I thought…" Jet became more awake, his tiredness vanishing out of his face, and narrowed his eyes at Sokka. Sokka didn't notice. "Yue I thought you lik… Zuko! For the love of God! Put your shirt back on, dammit, you're distracting me!"

Katara had to agree with both Yue and Sokka. She hadn't realised Zuko looked that good either, and his stone craved stomach was distracting. His body was athletic and lean, like a dancers was, muscle upon muscle upon muscle. A _v_ was prominent on his hips, and Katara was pretty sure someone could cut themselves on his six-pack.

"What?" Yue said when she noticed everyone staring at her. "He has incredible collar bones."

"Would someone like to tell me what the hell is going on?" Suki asked, looking from Sokka to Zuko to Yue to Katara – who still couldn't look away from Zuko's chest... neither could Yue.

"I wouldn't know where to begin," Jet mumbled, allowing his head to bang against the table top. He started mumbling something under his breath. Katara caught the words: _Zuko, kill, bastard, idiot, show him_, and _ruin everything_.

"Begin at the beginning," Iroh said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop."

Toph piped up again. "Katara called Zuko fat, and Zuko told her off for moaning his name in public."

"Katara called Zuko fat?" Ty Lee said, her eyes widening in horror. "Zuko isn't fat! Just look at him!"

"Of course," Jet groused out, "that would be the part you pay attention too."

Yue was looking very out of it, Katara noted absently, as she watched the girl out of the corner of her eye. Jet seemed to notice too, and asked her about it. "You seem confused."

Yue shook her head and sighed. "I think I'm just overthinking things."

He nodded solemnly, a smirk teasing at his lips. "That's why I try to never do it."

Yue burst out in peals of laughter. Zuko, still shirtless and distracting Katara – as well as Ty Lee and Suki – must have given Jet a _Significant Look_ over the top of Yue's head. Jet's eyes widened fractionally, and Katara wished that she could see Zuko's face. His back was to her, though, and she was far too distracted by the muscles that seemed to be_ there_ as well.

Her thoughts caught up with her self-respect. Katara turned beat red, her face hotter than Zuko on a beach – _NO!_ – and she turned around quickly, just in time to catch a piece of cut lemon to the temple.

Toph grinned.

"So…"

"Don't," Katara said. "I won't be held responsible for what I do to you."

Her brain caught up with her words and she flushed even harder. Toph looked taken aback, her eyes wide, and Katara suddenly realised everyone was staring at her.

"If this is what you talk about at breakfast every morning," a throaty, smoky voice stated from the doorway, "then I can only imagine what happens come dinner time."

Iroh's eyes lit up like the Christmas Tree he had decorated at school. "June!"

Katara had no idea how Iroh knew this June person. She decided she really, really wanted to know, though; more desperately then her need to know the identity of Anonymous. June was tall and willowy, her skin the colour of ivory and her hair the colour of pitch. Her eyes gleamed, a soft moss green colour, and her blood red lips were pulled back in a smirk over pearly white teeth. Katara felt her ego drop a few points. Along with June's slim curves were breasts bigger then Ty Lee's.

Zuko spun around quickly, his floppy hair slapping his eyes, and smiled brightly. "What are you doing here, June?"

June turned to look at Zuko, a proper smile appearing on her lips. "What, I can't visit without a reason? Maybe I just wanted to see you…" June allowed her eyes to flicker over Zuko's body suggestively, "because I missed that body. Damn, Pouty," June was grinning like a cougar as Zuko flushed brightly, trying to find his shirt. Katara knew that it was beneath her seat. She just didn't feel like telling him. "I haven't been gone that long, have I?"

Azula snorted. "You can do so much better, June."

"You just can't see it because you're his sister."

Azula looked heavenward. "Thank God for that. I wouldn't need another problem on my list."

"Don't worry Crazy Top. Everyone has a list of problems and issues, no matter who they are or what they say…" June paused, considering something. "Like me, for example. I am usually number 1 on everyone's list, or caused the Top 5…" June waved a hand around. "Any way back to my original question. What exactly happens at dinner?"

Katara was comforted to know that she wasn't the only one gaping at the new comer. Everyone besides Jet and Mai seemed to be thoroughly confused by the recent turn of events. Katara's confusion escalated when June made her way around the table and pulled out a shot glass – alongside something that looked a lot like vodka – from a cupboard she had never noticed before.

She downed it quickly and looked up, her eyes finding Jet. She grinned like the Cheshire Cat, all teeth and no good humour. "Well, look who it is."

"June," he greeted, rubbing at his head.

"Are you hung-over?" June asked quickly, bending to look Jet right in the eye. Yue's cheeks flooded with colour, and Katara suspected it had something to do with the boobs now directly in her – and Jet's – line of sight. "I thought I taught you better than that."

Zuko snorted. Katara managed not to be too disappointed when she saw him with his shirt. "If Jet were hung-over, he wouldn't be here."

June nodded, conceding the point with a nod of her shot glass. "True…"

"Excuse me," Aang interrupter. "But, I don't think we have ever met." He offered a hand. "I'm Aang."

June quirked an eyebrow. "Sup Aang."

"Who are you?" Toph said. "If you can give Sparky and Grassy a hard time, then I really want to know who you are."

"You must be Toph," June said. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Really?" Toph's eyes gleamed.

"Jet and Zuko adore you."

"Really?"

"Seriously, June?" Jet snapped, rubbing his face. "It's not even ten yet you're here and drinking…"

"Someone isn't a morning person."

"Catch me on any day that doesn't end in y."

"But every day ends in y," Ty Lee sounded very confused. Katara felt sorry for the girl. Never mind that she was just as confused.

"That's his point. He isn't a morning person any morning of the week… or evening… or afternoon…" Zuko gave Jet a considerate look. "You just aren't a person, period."

Jet sighed, throwing his hands up in the air. "This is why you and I are friends, Agni. You understand me."

"I sense a moment," June smirked. "If you plan on having this moment right now, could you maybe both do it shirtless? It's much more meaningful for every one that way."

Jet and Zuko gave the woman equal looks of _Bitch, please_. The rest of the room chipped in, and June noticed immediately. "What? Don't act like you weren't thinking the exact same thing. I just happen to have the balls to say it out loud." She turned to face Yue. "You know what I'm talking about, right?"

Yue took on the appearance of a deer caught in headlights. "Um…"

"Leave her alone, June," Jet snapped.

June cocked an eyebrow, her face scrutinizing Jet. Jet didn't break eye contact, and Zuko was standing stock still, watching everything as it played out. They seemed to be the only three who understood what was going on in the entirety of the room.

June's eyes flashed, her face transforming into something satisfied. "Well then." She turned to Yue. "Sorry, Miss Moon."

Yue flinched. "What?"

"Yue Moon, right? Daughter of the politician?"

"Yes…"

June's eyes moved between Jet and Yue, then turned soft around the edges. "I'm sorry."

Now June and Yue seemed to be the only two who understood anything in the room. Feed up, Sokka looked ready to explode. Azula was the one who spoke. "Why are you here, June? Other than to make my day as entertaining as hell of course."

Katara had reached up and started twisting her ring around her finger in a nervous gesture, as everyone exploded with questions. It flashed in the lights of the kitchen and drew June's attention.

She whistled. "Nice rock. Most have cost a small fortune. Lucky girl." Katara started, her hands ripping apart as she watched June watch her. The woman was smiling in a knowing fashion. Katara clenched her fists when the woman looked away to entice Yue into a conversation.

No one else noticed he ring, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Katara had never thought about the cost of her gifts. She didn't understand why the thought had never occurred to her before. It couldn't have been cheap, buying and organising a gift, let alone five. The hawk would have been expensive, even if her other gifts hadn't been. And her rings…

Were the gems real? She bought a hand up to her face and rotated her wrist, looking at her ring from every possible angle. The design was beautiful, intricate. Each was different. That would have meant that each ring would have been special ordered, instructed that way. Someone had planned this way in advance. This wasn't just a spur of a moment thing.

How long had Anonymous been planning this?

"Sweetheart? Sweetie?"

Katara gave a minute nod and slowly turned around, her mind drifting lazily. She saw Zuko's worried expression and scowled, snapping back to reality and what he had actually called her. "Sweetheart?" she asked, trying to recover from the wild dance her heart was doing.

He smirked. "I tried your name. I tried Kittycat and Dagat, and a whole collection of terms I don't care to repeat. Sweetie was the next thing I thought of."

"How touching," Katara intoned dryly. "I wonder do the girls usually swoon when you call them sweetie, Mister Prince Charming?"

"You're my only love, my Lady," he gave a mock bow before Jet taped him on the shoulder and drew him into a conversation.

Katara had no idea about what just happened. She sat, staring at Zuko's strong shoulders for minutes on end, before shaking herself out of it and turning around. Her eyes meet Iroh's, gleaming golden in the thin light. His face was surprisingly serious as he talked quietly to June, who had moved around the table while Katara had been staring.

Katara shifted in her seat, leaning forward on the table as she pretended to reach for the fruit bowl. Along the way, she knocked over a glass of juice. Pretending to be sorry to Suki – the juice was pooling in her lap – Katara grabbed some napkins and moved forward, mopping it up.

"I got the information you wanted," June was whispering. Katara inwardly gave a shout of victory. "It's…"

"I know, June."

June recoiled, surprise flickering in her eyes. "You knew?" Surprise was replaced by anger. "Then why did you send me?" she hissed.

"Because I needed to be certain," Iroh murmured. "June, this isn't just the future of our country. Ozai and his allies have planned this well. That family is in my brother's pocket. It wouldn't surprise me if he has done this deliberately, to get back at…"

"I know."

Iroh sighed. "Then why do you question my motives? This is our future, June."

June stopped Iroh with a raised hand. Katara hastily made her mopping up more believable, when June cast a furtive gaze around the table. "I get it. Contrary to popular belief, I do care about some things. This is one of them. I wouldn't be here without him."

Him?

"I'm sorry for doubting you, June."

"Does he know, though?" Katara saw the thought occur to June, saw her eyes widen in shock. "Does he know? Iroh…"

"No."

June's face was a battlefield of emotion. Anger and frustration against horror and sadness. "No? You need to tell him. Look what he is doing! You can't just string him along… it isn't fair on him. On anyone involved. What he'll feel after…"

"Sometimes, June," Iroh said sadly, his eyes moving around the table as he watched Katara and her friends laughing with each other and having fun. They settled on Zuko, Jet and Yue as they argued with Sokka. Azula sat nearby, smirking. They moved and met Katara's before she could look away "A thing of beauty brings joy forever."

* * *

**Authors Note: **Day 5 is in the bag.

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

And today we introduce JUNE! Did you like her inclusion? Did you like her? I know I had a Blast writing Jet-June-Zuko, and I have tried to desperately plan to include another scene starring the three of them in later chapters. It looks like it won't be until Chapter 11 or 12, though... oh well! I got quite a few PM's about Azula and Sokka's interaction... I hope I haven't disappointed with this chapter!

On the subject of plot... it actually starts to appear in this chapter! Yay! Katara finally realises that this isn't just a joke... someone is serious about all this gift giving nonsense. Iroh... dear, sweet Iroh... has anyone figured him out yet? ... opps... you weren't supposed to know that Iroh was...

BAD EIS! Stop spoiling the story!

Anyway, I hope you all appreciated the timing of Katara's discovery of the rings (as well as the rings themselves). I was very proud of that effort, because I didn't even realise the relevance until I edited it earlier today. As I have been editing, I've noticed a lot of small things like that - stuff I have written in that is ironic (for later events or events that have just happened) without even meaning too. June brings with her the plot.

So, lets have a little fun. If anyone can guess correctly what June and Iroh were discussing (or get the general idea)... I will answer one question. Any question you want, about the story. And I may even let you have a say in something for future chapters... maybe.

Anyway, here is a teaser for next chapter:

_Only water balloons may be used as projectiles__No water balloons may be thrown if someone is using the taps__Three hits, you're out__Anything else goes_

**Read and Review** and tell me your thoughts - EIS


	6. Geese a Laying

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** It isn't just pointless fluff! There is an actual plot, a story along with it. Said plot started last chapter, and is hinted at during this chapter (it is very vague though). And way, this is pure FLUFF! And because it isn't Avatar without a fight scene...  
**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Six:** Geese a Laying

**xXx**

_On the sixth day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Six Geese a Laying  
Five Golden Rings  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

Monday, 18th

**xXx**

Katara stepped down her front steps carefully. It was still early, the sun wouldn't be rising for another couple of minutes, and she couldn't find her dumb bird anywhere.

Grudgingly, Katara admitted, she was looking for the dumb bird because said dumb bird had grown on her like a contagious fungus. Except, unlike a contagious fungus, Katara really wanted her dumb bird back _now._

She pressed her face up against the glass of her kitchen window, peering inside. She heard pots and pans clanging together as her Gran Gran pottered around the kitchen, preparing for whatever it was she was about to bake. Katara suspected it was something for the End Of Term fete Avatar High was throwing tomorrow after noon.

She crept along the footpath, her legs freezing. She was only wearing a worn-out men's t-shirt she couldn't fully remember stealing from anyone, knickers and a pair of fluffy socks. She had pulled on snow boots before heading out, and they kissed the ground as she carefully avoided the patches of ice that had appeared overnight.

She yelped when felt something cold land on the back of her neck and looked up. A few more drops of rain where splattering the pavement beneath her, and they bounced of her roof, making a harmonious sound. She closed her eyes and allowed the few drops to trickle down her face.

She really did love the rain.

She peered into the rose bushes under the front window and made her way along the side of the house, moving the bins out of the way and kicking Sokka's broken experiments everywhere.

"Here Hawky, Hawky, Hawky," she whispered.

Nothing.

She made the noises one makes while calling a cat. "Come on, you pretty bird. Katara has your favourite biscuits."

Silence.

"When I find you, stupid bird, I'll be making Turkey!"

A dog bark in the distance and her neighbour's cat knocked over their bin lid.

"Fine then! Be a stupid bird! See if I care!"

She kicked at one of the puddles by her feet and turned around on her heel, storming back towards the front door. Nearly slipping and breaking her neck twice on the five steps that led up to her front door, Katara paused with her hand on the handle.

Stupid bird, pecking out a place in her heart.

With a heavy sigh, she turned around and jumped off her porch. She stumbled forward a little, catching herself on the sakura blossom tree. Her heart clenched up when her fingers brushed against scars in the trees otherwise smooth trunk. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her way around the letters carved in the tree and tried to calm her breathing and stop her tears.

_K K + K D_

Kya Kiri.

Katara Dagat.

Katara pushed off the tree like it had electrocuted her and cradled her hand to her chest. She hunched over, gasping for breath, trying to banish the laughter that played like a mix-tape through her mind.

"_Mummy, mummy look at me_…"

She heard a click, and a series of bright flashes of light broke through the skin of her eyelids and Katara opened her eyes.

"SQUAAAAWWWWWWWWK!"

Katara had a moment to turn around and brace her face as the stupid Hawk ploughed straight into her hair, a tangle of wings and very sharp curls. It wrestled with her unbrushed, curly hair, feathers flying everywhere as Katara flapped her arms like an idiot.

She grabbed hold of the hawk and yanked it free. It stilled in her hands, relaxing unhelpfully as Katara scowled at it.

"Stupid bird, giving me a heart attack and attacking me like a deranged psycho," Katara muttered darkly as she stomped up her steps. "Tell me again, why do I care about you At all?"

The bird blinked its big, black eyes at her like _because you don't want to admit it but…_ Katara gave the hawk's tail feathers a sharp tug and heard the strange clicking noise again.

**xXx**

"Hurry up, hurry up!" Aang called wildly when everyone was assembled in the courtyard at lunch time. Everyone, Katara included, was wearing homemade trash-bag water jackets over the top of their school uniforms. It was a strange sight, and Katara wondered again why she was friends with these people.

Aang stood in-between Jet and Zuko, bouncing with excitement, while the two seniors just smirked in a way that made Katara's blood run cold. Admittedly, the only thing she enjoyed about Christmas was this tradition.

"You all know the rules!" Zuko called out, raising a hand for silence. "First team to completely pull out is the loser, and they have to buy the winning team dinner at Aunt Wu's!"

"Teams?" Suki called out, wrapping her trash bag more tightly around her body.

Jet's smirk grew bigger and he glanced at Zuko. _Oh no_. "Boys against girls."

Katara did the math relatively quickly in her mind. There were seventeen people in their little group. Nine boys – Zuko, Jet, Haru, Aang, Sokka, Teo, Long Shot, Pip and the Duke – and eight girls – Yue, Toph, Suki, Bee, Ty Lee, Azula, Mai and Katara herself.

Mai never played (it was beneath her blue blood upbringing) and Teo was handicapped because of his wheel chair. He umpired; making sure no one broke any of the four rules their little game actually had.

Only water balloons may be used as projectiles

No water balloons may be thrown if someone is using the taps

Three hits, you're out

Anything else goes

That left seven girls against eight boys.

Katara wasn't worried.

"We shall be victorious!" Azula yelled, bracing one foot on the bench that sat beside her and pointing a perfectly manicured finger at the boys. Ty Lee bounced happily besides her, squealing in excitement.

Katara chanced a glance at Yue. She wasn't much – more of a lover than a fighter – but she was a great strategist, and by the look in her eyes, the politicians daughter was already plotting the ultimate demise of the boys in front of them.

Their annual Christmas Water Balloon fight had been born by accident, three years ago. Jet had pissed off Zuko (or had Zuko pissed off Jet?) and they were fighting. Toph, in all her wisdom and cunning intelligence, had decided that things were getting a little too _heated_. She had stolen one of the balloon's Sokka and Teo had been using to fashion a working zeppelin (another story completely). She had then swiped Katara's water bottle, filled up the balloon, and thrown it.

It had exploded over the two bickering fifteen year olds. They had frozen, slowly turned around to glare at the table. Because Sokka and Teo had the balloons, they were instantly blamed.

War had erupted.

And ever since, they had a water balloon fight, with Zuko and Jet choosing teams. It was legend among the school, people coming to peer out and watch from behind the safety of glass.

"Ladies first," Sokka smirked, making a shoo-ing gesture. "We'll give you a three minute head start to fill up your balloons."

Katara made sure to give her brother a death glare as she stormed off after her teammates. Suki, Toph, Ty Lee and Yue were all crowding around the drinking taps and trying to fill up there balloons as quickly as possible. They had two full packets to try and get through. Azula was supervising from a comfortable looking tree branch.

"I found a suitable location to use as our base," the princess said as soon as Katara rounded the corner.

"Great," was Katara's enthusiastic response.

Azula gave her a Look. "Whatever your problem is, Dagat, get over it." Her eyes glistened with determination… and something purely diabolical. "I am not losing to my brother or Rebel. I would rather die."

If Azula had said those words two years ago, Katara would have tried to throw the contest. But, considering she and Azula had buried their hatchet, she nodded in agreement.

"Oh, I am not losing. Sokka is going down."

Azula raised an eyebrow, her lips pulling up in a smile. "Good."

"We've done a whole bag!" Ty Lee shouted, showing off her bucket full of water balloons.

"Excellent," Azula crooned. She jumped down from the tree. "Follow me."

They crouched down low, trying to sneak around to the base Azula had decided upon. Yue was looking it over with a calculating eye. She turned to face their little group and nodded her approval. They set up base, Katara shoving more water balloons into her blazer pocket, and picked up another two, one for each hand.

"We have to get them straight off the bat," Yue was saying. "Force them into a retreat. Katara and Azula, you two will hide there and there," Yue indicated the locations, "you guys won't do anything unless absolutely necessary. The rest of us attack."

All the girls nodded and started spreading out.

Katara crouched down behind a set of bins, wrinkling her nose at the smell, and watched where her friends were hiding. She chanced a glance up and saw Azula nimbly scaling the huge Christmas tree Iroh had dragged into the school. She straddled a branch, leaning forward and hugging it. An aerial attack. Katara was grudgingly impressed. She made a quick dash to the small alcove and slid down behind the door the boys would be coming through. Behind and above

When she heard the boys approaching, she gave the signal. Katara bobbed behind view.

The boys were grinning like they had already won the game.

"I want the BBQ Delight for dinner," Sokka explained happily. "And the triple chocolate fudge sundae for desert. I would probably write that down. Wouldn't want you to get my order wrong."

"Ready to lose?" Jet called out, cracking his knuckles.

"Not on your life," Katara hissed under her breath, her hand tightening around the water balloon.

Katara peeked around the open door and noticed that they had made an arrow formation, Sokka at the front. Teo wheeled out of a nearby classroom and Katara noticed that a crowd had already gathered.

She even saw Iroh, his eyes gleaming with a manic sort-of light.

She saw Aang and Duke throw before she had even realised that they had moved. The boys spread out, splitting up into very precise directions. Katara applauded whoever their strategist was. They outnumbered the girls and by spreading out like that they were forcing her teammates to pick them off individually, leaving one boy free.

"I hadn't said begin yet!" Teo was spluttering, Mai beside him, pushing his chair, and watching everything with dull eyes. Katara noticed that Mai's eyes stayed on Zuko the most.

Obviously, someone still had feelings for their ex.

Katara got that funny cramp in her stomach again. She sighed. Her period must be due. It was happening more and more often.

Katara watched.

Suki was the first to go. Both Sokka and Haru aimed balloons at the cheerleader, soaking her. Haru then quickly followed it up with another balloon. Katara heard Teo's long whistle and Suki stomped off, her shoes squeaking.

The girls responded in kind.

With a war cry, Ty Lee jumped out of her hiding spot, somersaulting as she dodged Aang's next throw. She launched a balloon and it collided with Aang's chest. Ty Lee quickly followed it up with another attack. It missed when Aang dodged. Aang, with gleaming eyes, took chase.

Katara shook her head. She wished she could watch that battle. Both Aang and Ty Lee were gold-medallist gymnasts, and they both dabbled as trapeze artists in their spare time.

She heard Teo's whistle go off in five short bursts, which indicated the five balloons had met their targets. The long whistle meant that someone was out.

Katara ducked just as a wild balloon smacked into the wall behind her head. She gave it a frightened look and refused to move for another few minutes. Teo's whistle sounded in the _Out _keen. Katara chanced a glance up and caught sight of a very unhappy Pipsqueak taking the walk of shame, followed by a furious Bee.

"Give up now, ladies," Jet called out as Toph was hit for the second time. Katara bit back her laugh as Jet shrieked, rolling out of the way of three balloons. She heard Ty Lee and Yue snickering.

Teo's whistle blew.

Ty Lee and Aang were still going at it, Aang chasing after Ty Lee. Ty Lee looked like a dancer as she twirled and weaved around the Christmas tree. Aang mimicked her every move and parried with his own graceful bends and turns. Katara saw Zuko a moment before Ty Lee shrieked.

Teo blew the whistle, and Katara was about to complain when she realised that Duke was out and Toph was cackling happily. She turned her attention back to Aang and Ty Lee's battle Royale just in time to see the killing blow.

Aang quickly threw two balloons at Ty Lee as she tried to scramble up off the ground. Teo's whistle was already blowing when she managed to get up. Ty Lee, her hair dripping wet and her eyes narrowed into a killing glare, pointed at Zuko.

"Low! Sneak!"

Zuko shrugged. "Playing the game, Ty."

Zuko, Long Shot and Jet had converged around their bucket, pulling out more balloons. Katara saw Yue sneaking up on them, a malevolent glint in her eyes. Zuko saw the first balloon just in time to shout a warning and roll out of the way. He dropped the balloon he had been retrieving and Yue swept it up in one smooth move and threw it.

Jet managed to get out of the way, but poor Long Shot was smacked twice right in the chest. Jet and Zuko scrambled up, but Yue was already beating a hasty retreat. She heard Teo's whistle go twice and she noticed Aang dropping the balloons he held as he trotted to over to Teo.

Toph and Sokka charged at the same time. Toph was sprinting her little heart out, her arms pumping fiercely, but Katara knew the outcome of the race. Sokka, with a loud determined scream, divided on to the balloons, scooped them up, and took Toph out.

Yue was nearly out of balloons. Katara looked up at Azula, lounging in her tree, and at the four boys that slowly moved to surround Yue. Yue's eyes widened and she took in her situation.

"You don't want to do this, boys," she said, trying to stall for time. Katara watched as the small group got closer to Azula.

"Sure we don't, Yue," Haru said, shaking his head as Sokka cackled like a maniac.

"I'm serious," Yue continued, baiting them closer. "You're about to make a terrible mistake."

The boys laughed. Zuko, however, stopped walking. Katara couldn't see what his face was doing, but she saw his shoulders tense.

"Guys," he said, trying to get their attention.

It was too late. Jet, Sokka and Haru were in position. "It's a trap!" Zuko yelled to no avail.

"DO IT NOW GIRLS!" Yue screamed, just as she and Jet threw their balloons at the same time. Yue's mad dash for freedom ended as all Jet's balloons made contact, covering her in water. Jet didn't have time to celebrate before everything happened at once.

Sokka looked up. Jet grinned at Yue. Haru dropped his balloons. Zuko swore. Azula pounced.

Tipping their teams remaining bucket up, Azula quickly jumped out of the tree, landing on her hands and knees like secret agent, and rolled out of the way. Jet and Haru were instantly soaked as at least ten balloons hit them right on their heads.

Sokka, with a manly screech, had thrown himself out of the way and only one balloon had hit him. Zuko moved quickly, dodging the balloon Katara piffed at him while chucking one at his sister. It hit Azula in the stomach and the princess narrowed her eyes before throwing three balloons at her brother at once. Katara heard Zuko swear as he threw himself behind a picnic bench. More swearing was heard alongside exploding balloons.

Azula had barely recovered from Zuko's attack when Sokka charged her. They battled it out, dodging and lashing out with balloons. Another connected with Azula's upper arm, and Azula got a spectacular shot at Sokka's crouch that made him howl in pain and take shelter.

It was while Azula was laughing over Sokka's pain and Katara saw Zuko stand up, water balloon in hand. She was about to call foul when she realised Teo hadn't blown the whistle.

"_Azula, behind you_!"

It was too late. Zuko attacked. He ran up behind her and slapped a water balloon on her head. Azula whirled around, getting one last shot at Sokka, but Teo had blown the whistle and she was out.

Teo quickly followed Azula's whistle with one for Sokka.

It was Zuko and Katara.

Zuko was dripping wet and Katara realised that the balloons hadn't hit him, but had exploded when they connected with the wall, showering Zuko with water. He was still technically in.

"Come out, Katara," Zuko said, picking up Azula's abandoned water balloons. She bit her lip, feeling her remaining four balloons.

This was not good.

Katara took a deep breath and uncoiled from her position crouched behind the door. Zuko's tawny, burning gold eyes found hers and they widened, before narrowing again. He was impressed. He must have realised that she had been there the whole time.

"Why didn't you get us as we walked out?" he asked, shifting his weight.

Katara shrugged offhandedly. "Wasn't a part of our plan."

"You had a plan?"

"Yes, didn't you?"

Zuko smirked. "'Course we had a plan. It involved taking you girls out systematically." Katara saw the slight twist of his wrist and ducked behind a chair. The water balloon Zuko had thrown exploded behind her.

"It was working. Originally, Aang, Haru and Sokka were supposed to take you and Azula out first." Zuko narrowed his eyes at the three boys as they sat on the sidelines. "But Haru got caught up with Suki and Aang was distracted by Ty Lee. Sokka was just an idiot."

"Hey!"

Katara didn't see Zuko move. One moment Sokka was shouting abuse at him, the next he had a balloon to the family jewels and was keeled over, moaning his little heart out.

"Anyway," Zuko continued, "the plan kind of went south. Jet and I managed to take out Bee and Suki quickly, and I got the last shot at Ty Lee in." He shrugged. "It took me a while to notice that you and Azula hadn't made an appearance."

"Stupid mistake," Katara said, crawling on hands and knees. Zuko had lost sight off her during Sokka's rant and she thanked whatever Spirits or Gods were out there for her brother's idiocy.

He had been the perfect distraction to move.

"Still hiding Katara?" Zuko called out.

"Not anymore," she mumbled, before launching out of her hiding place and throwing two balloons quickly. The collided with Zuko's back and he spun around, moving towards her in the same second. A balloon crashed into her face and Katara yelled, tumbling behind the tree and hastily whipping the water out of her eyes. She had thrown a balloon in her blindness and was down to her last.

She sat up straighter, pressing her back against the tree and peering around its broad limbs. Zuko was nowhere to be seen.

"Boo." She jumped right into Zuko as the balloon falling on to her head burst. Damp, stringing hair stuck to her cheek and chapped lips, her breath was coming in short pants and something very, very warm was beneath her.

Zuko's eyes were wide as he looked up at her. Katara, equally surprised, recovered faster. And slapped a balloon into his face.

Teo blew his whistle and the girls screamed in celebration.

Katara was panting as she stared into Zuko's wide, golden eyes. His scar was a bright, red flaw covering half his face, and Katara could see every one of its ridges and smooth places. Her hands itched, wanting to reach out and touch…

"WE WON!" Suki screamed in her ear as Ty Lee and Toph hoisted her off of Zuko and into a violent group hug. The boys were gobsmacked, staring at Katara, then down at Zuko as he lay sprawled in a puddle of water. He had lost his protective trash bag and his white shirt was soaked through, sticking to his chest and hiding nothing as it turned translucent.

"WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!" Ty Lee and Bee were going something akin to the rain dance, making happy noises like the Lost Boys.

Azula was rubbing her victory in Sokka's face. Toph was standing on a picnic bench, pointing down at the group of boys and screaming, "SUCK IT BITCHES! YOU OWE ME DINNER!"

Katara managed to extract herself from the choking hug Suki had captured her in and stumbled straight into Yue. The white haired girl caught her by her upper arms. She wasn't partaking in the victory dance. Her eyes were looking at the small school pond in fascination.

"Katara, what are those?"

Katara looked up, following the direction of Yue's arm, and almost fainted and choked simultaneously.

"They would be geese."

A honk confirmed her horror. Yue looked caught between fright and puzzlement as Katara scrambled up and marched over to the six happily resting geese. She was hyper conscious of every eye that rested on her as she stalked over to the offending birds.

Birds! What was it with birds!

The smallest goose had a ribbon tied around its neck – pale lavender in colour – and Katara ripped it off and grabbed the note attached to it.

_Katara,_

_Got game? Or should I say geese?_

_Love Anonymous_

"How incredible!"

Katara made an audible yelp of surprise as she jumped around, the note clutched tightly in her fist. Iroh stood behind her, gazing joyously down at the laying geese. His beard was decorated with bells today, tied with red ribbon.

"Professor!" she shrieked.

"Iroh, Miss Dagat, Iroh!"

"Iroh!" she shrieked. "There are geese in the school."

_No shit, Sherlock_, her brain snarked helpfully.

Iroh nodded his head wisely, but not at Katara's words. It was the nod you gave to someone who was explaining the reason for life. Katara wondered if insanity was an Azula exclusive thing. "Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration."

"There are geese in the school," Katara repeated again, slowly, like she was talking to a small child.

"Perhaps there is a pet store that can take them away and put them in a nice home," was all Iroh said as he hummed a very familiar tune under his breath.

* * *

**Authors Note: **Day 6, was it hit or miss?

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

So, I have a confession. I'm struggling with chapter 9. The problem isn't writer's block, perse. I know exactly where this fic is going, I have planned out chapters 10, 11 and 12 and even written parts of each, but I'm having trouble bridging eight to ten. Thus, chapter nine is hard. I'll be working my heart out tomorrow and Friday, and hopefully I'll be back on track by Saturday!

That is my bit of whining done. Now, I am really curious about who you think that Anonymous is. This is the official half way mark and I would love to hear your thoughts. So tell me!

Has anyone worked out Iroh yet?!

Anyway, here is a teaser for next chapter:

_"Zuko!" another voice yelled. Katara sighed, rubbing at her temples as Haru jogged over to them._

_"Hm?" Zuko mumbled as he checked his watch and taped a foot impatiently, rattling through his bag as he searched for something._

_"I can't go to the parade." Haru paused next to Katara to look at Zuko's disinterested expression as he rummaged through his bag._

_Zuko paused in motion, then he slowly looked up. "You too, huh? Any reason you _both_ might want to avoid hanging out with your friends?"_

_The words wormed their way into Katara's head. Was Zuko, of all people, insinuating that she and-_

_She narrowed her eyes at the prince. "I have things to do."_

_"I have to run some errands, do some last minute shopping for mum," Haru added in the weakest defence imaginable. Katara wanted to face-palm. No one would think they were sneaking off to do dirty things now. Oh no. _

_If Haru was the admirer, he sucked. _

**Read and Review**

- EIS


	7. Swans a Swimming

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** Look everybody, it's **MENG!**  
**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Seven:** Swans a Swimming

**xXx**

_On the seventh day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Seven Swans a Swimming  
Six Geese a Laying  
Five Golden Rings  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

Tuesday, 19th

**xXx**

Katara ran the tap and wet her face with freezing cold water. Turning the tap off, she braced her hands on either side of the sink and gazed at herself in the mirror. She looked like the walking dead. After waking up at three, she had laid crying in bed until dozing off sometime around six. Her alarm clock had woken her up an hour or so later, feeling worse than when she had been crying.

Sokka either hadn't noticed or hadn't been worried enough to ask after her health. That pissed her off, making her already temperamental temper worse. She had already snapped at On Ji twice, and growled at Song – an ex of Zuko's. She had bitten the heads off of two under classmen who had dared to ask if she was the girl receiving all the gifts in front of her locker.

The Christmas carols playing through the speakers were this close to making her commit a felon, and the only thing preventing her was the unavoidable discussion she would have to have with her father… a man who lived and breathed safety and security and protection. He held a high position in both the government and the army, and Katara being arrested for murder would prevent him from getting that promotion he was desperately after.

They had all dealt with her mother's death differently. Katara had locked herself away and kept everyone else out. Her father had thrown himself into his job. Sokka had started fighting in school, breaking rules. He had been eleven, Katara had just turned ten.

She had hated Christmas ever since.

"_Ka-tar-ah_!"

Katara shut her eyes tightly; counting to thirty in her head, hoping to every deity that would listen that Jin would just go away.

"Katara, I haven't seen you in ages!"

Katara opened her eyes and turned around slowly, not bothering to even fake a smile. Jin stood behind her, yellow-and-black tie loose around her neck. Her white blouse was straining against her boobs, and her skirt hugged her butt and legs in a way that made Katara ground her teeth.

"Jin."

Jin grinned, her shaggy fringe falling across her face. With a practiced flick of her neck it moved, falling softly behind her ear. Her smile faded gradually as she took in Katara's tired and worn appearance.

"Katara, what happened?"

Out of all Zuko's girlfriends – the guy had had plenty – Katara had _disliked_ Jin the most (she hated Rilla the most).

Jin had nearly destroyed Zuko and Jet's relationship while she had dated Zuko, because Jet had feelings for her too, and she had continued to treat him better than everyone else. She was also pretty, and bubbly, and she was one of nicest people in school. At sixteen, she was in Katara's year and they had had nearly had every class together in previous years.

"Katara?"

Jin had started dating Zuko two years ago, in November.

Katara had been thirteen, in year eight, and Yue had been her best and only friend. Suki was still just another cheerleader, and Toph was in primary school. Sokka had just started hanging out with Haru and Long Shot; Yue divided her time between Katara, Zuko, Jet, Mai and their little group of friends, and her boyfriend, Sokka.

It was around the time of her first ever boyfriend. Her boyfriend, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, was a douche and a dick but Katara hadn't cared. He was the first boy to like her, ever. She had been going through a phase then – she was thirteen, nearly fourteen, for heaven's sakes – and she had just gotten an older, more mature boyfriend. She hadn't realised she was changing.

Yue had noticed though. She had told Katara that she didn't trust The Big Douche, but Katara hadn't listened. The Big Douche was popular, running in the same circles as Jet and Zuko, and invited to every party imaginable. For this particular Halloween party, he had agreed to take Katara.

She was ecstatic. She had dressed up as a Pocahontas, her natural colouring and hair making it easy, while also giving her an excuse to wear a short dress for her boyfriend. (Katara felt sick just looking back at how _fucking _stupid she had been).

The party had been fine. The Big Douche was a good boyfriend, showing her off and fetching her drinks, making sure she was okay. As the night wore on, Katara became more and more relaxed. She started dancing with The Big Douche's friends. As the night wore on, he became touchier, more attentive. Katara was thrilled. He took her to a private room, where he and a bunch of his friends were hanging out.

Katara was too naïve to realise she was drunk and that he had drugged her.

The Big Douche started passing her around to his friends. He told Katara it was okay, and she was too out of it to disagree. Hands touched her legs, hesitantly at first. When they realised that the Big Douche had really pulled on over on her, they got braver. Hands went higher. Katara started to come out of her drug-and-alcohol induced fog. She tried to fight back.

Zuko had arrived, kicking the door down, furious, like an avenging angel.

He told them off. He said that Katara was so much better than they would ever realise, that she deserved better than the Big Rich Douche. He wrapped her up in his jacket – he had come as the Blue Spirit – and took her home. The next day he was dating Jin and Katara had felt beyond betrayed.

She felt Jin's hand on her arm and she came back to the present, blinking furiously. Jin's face was inches from her own, worry clouding her eyes alongside pity.

Katara hated pity.

"I'm fine," she snapped harshly, shrugging off Jin's hands. Jin looked offended for just a moment, before the pity came over her again.

"Katara…"

"Leave it be, Jin," Katara's voice was rising, her hands shaking. First the dream and now Jin was bringing back the memories. She couldn't deal with this crap today.

"Katara!" Jin called after her as Katara stormed out of the bathroom, her bag banging against her hip.

"Katara, wait up, please, I'm sorry if I did something."

Katara slowed down, hearing Jin's quick footsteps. Guilt clawed at her heart and she sighed, coming to a complete stop. Jin nearly ran straight past her.

She was panting, her cheeks streaked with red. "Thanks."

Katara gave her a moment to catch her breath. "What did you want to talk about, Jin?"

Jin took a few more deep breathe before pushing herself up and smiling bashfully at Katara. "I wanted to ask you something…"

Katara raised an eyebrow, adjusting her bags strap on her shoulder. "Well, ask."

Jin rummaged around in her own bag before pulling out a neatly wrapped box. "This is a present I got for Christmas."

Katara narrowed her eyes.

It was pretty; a simple, yet elegant pendent on a thin chain. The pendent was carved with a detailed, breathtaking apple tree. It looked gentle and sweet… and expensive.

"And your point is?"

She saw Jin's cheeks colour with emotion. Katara couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt something trickle down her spine, making her cold all over. "Zuko gave it to me."

Katara nearly choked. "And?"

Jin blushed. "Our break up was very… foggy. In a way, we never really did break up. We just stopped going out together."

"You've dated other people. Both of you," Katara recalled three different boyfriends from their shared classes alone. Zuko – man whore that he was – hadn't had a proper, serious relationship since ending things with Jin.

Jin nodded. "Yes, but it's never been… the same. And, even though we broke up just before summer, he has never forgotten to give me a birthday present, or come to one of my parties… and I was wondering if…"

"Zuko doesn't like you anymore."

She had never willingly bought Jin up in a conversation before, and Zuko never really talked about her with Katara before. She didn't actually know what he felt for the girl in front of her.

"Are you sure?" Jin asked, her eyes big and bright and hopeful.

Katara tightened her grip on her bag strap, her knuckles turning white. "He's never told me that he does like you."

She did not need this today. Discussing Zuko's love life with his ex when her own lov- her own Life was in disarray?

"But he's never said that he doesn't like me?"

Katara said nothing. Jin took that as a conformation – "Thanks, Katara!" – and vanished down the hallway.

Katara was felt in a worse mood then when she had entered the bathroom.

Slowly, she took deep, comforting breaths. When she felt calm enough, she hoisted her bag higher up on her shoulder and started walking. She hadn't gotten far before she was assaulted by a demonic elf in a short skirt.

"Katara have you heard?" Ty Lee giggled, bouncing up and down on her toes.

"Heard what?"

"Zuko says we all got tickets to the school fete!" Ty Lee squealed, executing a pirouette that would have made a professional ballerina jealous.

"What?" Katara muttered more to herself then to Ty Lee. The fete meant more Christmas joy. More Christmas joy meant more people. People meant being pissed off.

This had not been her week.

First she gets a bloody pear tree, then Hahn accosts her in her favourite café, Aang acts weird, Bee breaks Toph and Jin wants to get back together with Zuko.

"What?"

Katara blinked and realised that she had been mumbling her every thought out loud. "Um, nothing Ty Lee. The fete will be great; you'll be the bell of the ball." Katara slipped away as Ty Lee started shrieking in delight.

The last bell before third period was about to ring, Katara sped up, darting around the throngs of students, and caught sight of Aang's favourite orange hat.

"Aang!" she called out, ignoring the giggling that started up. "Aang, wait up."

Aang stopped, turning around with a massive grin on his face. Katara felt immediately awkward, groaning under her breath. He was such a puppy.

"Katara, hey!"

"Do you know where Zuko is?" she asked as she jumped down the last flight of stairs, landing off-balanced beside the boy. He grasped her arms, keeping her from tumbling over. A few girls giggled.

When she looked up again, Aang looked like a kicked puppy.

"He has sociology or something, over in the L-wing," Aang said with a pout.

"Thank you."

Katara straightened up, fixing her bag, and went to take a step. Aang's hand snaked out, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her backwards. She did a couple of weird hops.

"What?"

He looked like he was about to faint. Or throw up. Or both. "You're going to the fete tonight, right?"

Katara blinked in astonishment. "Ah, I don't know?" She had no idea why she phrased it like a question.

"You have to!" Aang said earnestly, his eyes becoming wide and pleading.

"Why?"

Aang flushed and started babbling nervously. "Ah… I… you… um… I really want you there, and everyone is going to be there. It… it wouldn't be right if you didn't come along as well."

Katara lifted an eyebrow, but didn't ask about his reason for wanting her there. "I'll think about it."

Aang opened his mouth to say something else when the warning bell sounded. He smiled apologetically and released her. "See you, Katara." With a wave, he started sprinting down the corridor.

Katara continued standing alone in the middle of the hallway even after he had left, just watching the air where he had been standing. Shaking her head to clear it off her thoughts, Katara started heading for the L-wing. Avatar High ran a five block program, with two classes in the morning, then a recess, two more classes, lunch, and the last period of the day. Katara's third period teacher was away on maternity leave – she had already picked name for her baby, Hope – and she had been having frees even since December started.

Her school was a sprawling metropolis over two levels, divided into wings. The second level was all senior and junior classes along with some extra curricula's and specialists, the bottom level had most other classes. The wings happened on each level. L-wing was languages – traditional English, Lit and foreign – S-wing was sciences and so on and so forth.

Katara had crashed the sociology class on more than one occasion, to see both Yue and Zuko. The teacher, Piando, was a good guy, and didn't care as long as she didn't disturb or sabotage the learning of his students.

Peeking through one of windows Katara noticed the whole class on laptops and tablets. She knocked on the door and opened it. Piando greeted her kindly enough before turning his attention back to his own screen. Zuko was alone at one of the back tables, typing along diligently. She couldn't see Yue. As Katara made her way to the back of the classroom, she said hello to nearly every student she passed. She was a common occurrence in the sociology classroom. Either she was with Yue or she was with Zuko.

"Where's Yue?" And, come to think of it… "Where's Jet?"

"Yue is sick," Zuko said without breaking his typing rhythm or looking up from the screen. "And Jet is wagging. Can you imagine that?" Zuko chuckled softly. "Said something about running a very important errand."

Running an errand was he?

Katara placed that fact carefully into her mind, filing it along with everything else her keen detective instincts were picking up.

She rolled the idea of Jet around in her head, playing and poking at it experimentally. Could Jet really be doing this for her? Yue's comments, his flirting, his strange behaviour in recent weeks… could it all be because of her?

"Do you think Jet is more intelligent then he puts on?" Katara's voice was so soft she thought, for a moment, that she hadn't even spoken out loud at all.

Zuko's typing hit an off-key in its rhythm, but it was only a millisecond. Katara noticed anyway. "Certainly, everyone has their own reserves and masks. Take Jet," he paused as he shuffled through some papers beside him. Katara sneeked a peek and realised they were written in another language. His mother tongue, if she was right. She looked at another and saw his Nations emblem. "He plays the debonair Casanova, but if he ever needed to, he could out think some of the smartest people in this school. He has a keen mind. He just doesn't like to flaunt it."

Katara stayed silent, the words wrapping around her every memory of Jet. IT made complete and utter – but very twisted – sense.

Want as she might to eliminate Jet from the running because he wasn't as likely a suspect as, say, Zuko, she just couldn't.

"Now what did you really want me for?" Zuko asked, startling her out of her trance. "Or do you actually have ulterior motives toward Jet?"

"Absolutely not," Katara said robotically. At Zuko's sceptical, disbelieving glance towards the laptop screen, she scowled. "I don't want to go to the parade."

He continued typing. "What's more important than spending one last Christmas with all your friends?"

"One last?" she echoed. "What, are you planning on dying?"

"Jet and I graduate in spring," was Zuko's easy response, the keys clicking soothingly.

The bell rang and Zuko was packing up, Katara still foundering for a good lie to tell. "I have things to do."

"I repeat: what's more important than spending one last Christmas with all your friends?"

Katara hurried to keep up with Zuko, three steps matching his single one. People moved around them like a creek, and Katara and Zuko two large rocks. They parted as she walked besides the prince, moving out of his way. They still slammed into Katara, though, knocking into her shoulder and sending her flying into every which direction.

"Zuko," she growled as another girl rammed her bag into Katara's stomach, winding her.

People greeted him by name. Tipped nods, small waves, fluttering eyelashes and giggled hello's. Katara hadn't realised he was so popular, and stopped walking right in the middle of the hallway.

He seemed to realise she wasn't beside him anymore and paused, turning around and scanning the crowds that tried to get to their next classes. He found her and turned on his heel, starting towards her.

"Katara, I don't have time for-"

"Zuko!" another voice yelled. Katara sighed, rubbing at her temples as Haru jogged over to them.

"Hm?" Zuko mumbled as he checked his watch and taped a foot impatiently, rattling through his bag as he searched for something.

"I can't go to the parade." Haru paused next to Katara to look at Zuko's disinterested expression as he rummaged through his bag.

Zuko paused and he slowly looked up. "You too, huh? Any reason you _both_ might want to avoid hanging out with your friends?"

The words wormed their way into Katara's head. Was Zuko, of all people, insinuating that she and-

She narrowed her eyes at the prince. "I have _things_ to do."

"I have to run some errands, do some last minute shopping for mum," Haru added in the weakest defence imaginable. Katara wanted to face-palm.

"Can't you do it after?"

Haru shuffled his feet, his face going bright red. "Well… yeah…"

"Great. I'll see you both their after the final bell. I think the rest of our friends would agree with me when I say that we need to hang out as much as possible before we lose the opportunity."

Katara bit her lip. Winning a conversation with Zuko was never easy. "Whatever."

**xXx**

"Eyes! Eyes! New eyes!" shouted an old woman in front of a table covered with lolly jars and bottles filled with sweets shaped like all the different parts of the human face.

"Get your triangles and drums, whistles and harmonica's right here!"

"Try your luck! Step right up! Answer a simple winner and win a grand prize!"

"Come on, Katara!" Ty Lee whined as she and Suki pushed Katara towards Santa, bypassing all the interesting looking stores that had dotted up throughout their schools' back oval and carpark.

"Seriously, guys, I said no!"

"Just one photo and then you can leave!" Suki insisted. "Toph and Yue and Azula are all doing it!"

"And if they were all to jump off a cliff, should I?"

"Of course not," Ty Lee said patiently, like she was talking to a stubborn child. "That's dangerous. But this is a just a picture!"

Katara pulled her hat down lower over her face and wrapping her jacket more tightly around her body. Ty Lee and Suki were yelling, trying to be heard over the blasting chorus of music – which was the Twelve Days of Christmas.

With a final shove, Katara went flying into Santa's lap. Her cheek turned bright red

"Well ho, ho, ho! Who do we have here?" Katara could have died right then and there. She scrambled out of Iroh's lap and gaped at him as he beamed though his red hat. "Here for a picture?"

Of course Santa would be Iroh. It made perfect sense. Before she could reply to her teacher, Ty Lee, Suki, Yue, Toph and Azula appeared. Azula had her arms crossed and looked as unamused as Katara felt. "Uncle."

"No, no, no!" Iroh shouted. "I am Santa Clause! Saint Nicolas!"

Azula rolled her eyes and plopped down unceremoniously in his lap. He let out a huff as one of her elbows dug into his side. "Let's get this over with. I have people to torment."

Ty Lee squealed and sat beside Azula, Toph following. She grinned up at Iroh and settled herself down. Katara had thought that Toph would be on her side. But it seemed that her friend had gone over to the Dark Side of the Christmas Force.

"Hurry up, Katara!"

Katara scowled and sat down beside Yue. Toph threw an arm over her shoulders casually. She glanced up and noticed all the boys had vanished.

"Everyone ready?" Joo Dee – the woman dressed as an elf working the camera – asked with a smile so fake Katara wanted to be sick.

"One. Two. Jingle Bells!"

Katara ended up sitting through six photos. When Joo Dee was setting up for another – at the bequest of Ty Lee and Toph – she jumped up and explained that she would sit the next few out. She dragged one of the prop presents over and sat down, crossing her arms and leaning back with a huge sigh. She closed her eyes for a few moments, feeling her tiredness sweep over her like a blanket.

A tug on her blazer sleeve bought her back. It was a girl with two huge pigtails and a gap between her front teeth. "Are you Katara?" she asked.

"Who are you?"

"Meng. I work the glass store, just over there," she pointed and Katara looked. The area was bustling with people; all the strangers' who had come far and wide to see the revered Avatar School fete. One of her teachers – a strange man who loved his hats more then his life – had set up a wine-tent alongside a homemade goods store (where the majority of merchandise was hats).

Katar heard a gentle chiming in the air, above the hubbub of the fete and looked towards that direction. It was covered with beauty. Flowers, made of glass, of all breed and family: blue-bells and fox-gloves, daffodil's and violets, blue forget-me-nots, lilies, roses, pansies. Then there were tiny carved figurines, all made of the same spun crystal and glass. They chimed and jingled in the soft breeze.

"It looks wonderful," Katara said uncertainly.

Meng nodded enthusiastically. "Yep. It's a wonder, what my boss can do with her hands. Everything is handmade and one-of-kind."

Katara looked properly at the girl. She didn't look any older then twelve.

"They must be expensive."

She shrugged, but it was one of delight. "The cost isn't just what my boss charges. She discusses it with the buyer. It might be a great deal or nothing at all. It depends on the piece and the purpose of the buy."

"The purpose of the buy?"

"Whether it's for a good cause, or just because."

"Sounds… unique."

"Yep."

Katara waited, playing with the hem of her skirt, for Meng to say something more. When she didn't, Katara decided to. "What did you want? You seemed to know my name before, but I have never met you before."

Meng turned to her. "So you are Katara Dagat."

"Yes."

Meng grinned, a grin of all teeth, and shoved a box in Katara's hand. "This is for you." She rummaged around in her pocket and handed Katara a car. "I'm supposed to give this too you as well."

Katara felt her heart sped up. The box was beautifully wrapped in silver paper, a brilliant snow-white bow holding it together. She pulled the bow carefully and removed the paper timidly. What she saw made her breath stutter.

It looked like the glass figurines from Meng's shop. Six swans sat on a lake. The lake – the stand – was actually a mirror, reflecting the rainbow prisms of light that bounced off the ethereal swan backs. Katara raised it up higher, and the sun caught a smaller swan. Katara smiled. Six swans and a baby cygnet.

Katara delicately placed the figurine down and looked at the card in her hand. She opened the envelope and saw the tell-tale paper. Her eyes widened.

"Wait!" She turned around, but Meng was gone. Vanished like a ghost in fog.

_Katara,_

_Are you having fun?_

_Love Anonymous_

She crumbled the paper in her hand and threw the box on the ground. Her figurine glinted beautifully in the setting sun.

"I hate you!" she yelled at the swans. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! Why can't you just be normal? Why can't you just get it over with?"

A hand fell on her shoulder and she turned to see Iroh's gentle gaze. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Miss Dagat."

* * *

**Authors Note: **Day 7 is complete

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

So, I have a confession. I'm struggling with chapter 9. The problem isn't writer's block, perse. I know exactly where this fic is going, I have planned out chapters 10, 11 and 12 and even written parts of each, but I'm having trouble bridging eight to ten. Thus, chapter nine is hard. I'll be working my heart out tomorrow and Friday, and hopefully I'll be back on track by Saturday!

Teaser for next Chapter:

_"This isn't criticism, but how do you blow up a science lab with gunpowder when it is wet?" Katara asked as she placed a set of tiles on the scrabble board._

_"I don't know," Haru admitted as he kept his eyes glued to the board. "And it wasn't gun powder…"_

**Read and Review**

- EIS


	8. Maids a Milking

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** I have an IMPORTANT ANOUNCEMENT.

Is everyone listening?

A lot of things come out in this chapter. A lot. The Hahn-Yue-Katara thing… the Toph thing from the description… the Gran Gran thing… and the whole _Plot _thing…

Just a friendly warning!

**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Eight:** Maids a Milking

**xXx**

_On the eighth day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Eight Maids a Milking  
Seven Swans a Swimming  
Six Geese a Laying  
Five Golden Rings  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

Wednesday 20th

**xXx**

_We had been walking around and window shopping for what felt like hours. Stopping in a small café, Mummy and I both ordered Hot Chocolates and a blueberry muffin the size of Sokka's favourite teddy. _

"_Here you go, Katara sweetie," Mummy said, handing me my steamy cup of Choccy. "Careful, it's very hot."_

"_Yum!" I took a big sip. The Choccy burned my tongue and throat, but instead of crying I scrunched up my eyes and swallowed the big gulp._

_Mummy had been watching me and was laughing. "It's hot, Katara, I did warn you."_

"_You didn't say it would be that hot!" I grumbled, sniffing as my tongue hurt. _

_I glanced out the window and saw a man across the street, hidden under an umbrella. Mummy had said that it had been the worst storm in more than five decades._

"_Mummy, the rain is lots harder now," I said, talking a gulp and watching the man. "And it's starting to snow!"_

"_Katara, speak properly. _The rain is a lot harder now,"_ she scolded, "but yes, you're right. The Weather Channel was watching it carefully, because it may turn into a big storm called a hurricane. I don't think it will, though. The last hurricane was eighty years ago."_

_I nodded sagely, because today was my birthday and I was turning six and becoming a big girl. I sipped my Hot Choccy again and turned back to the window, waving to the man across the street happily. He didn't wave back and I frowned. "Mummy, that man is watching us."_

"_Katara, didn't you get in trouble for making up stories just yesterday? Daddy has been very upset with you lately…" she said, not really paying me any attention. _

_I sighed. Why did grown-ups always think I was making up stories? _

_Mummy's eyes were focused on the television screen above the counter. The news lady was talking about the storm, and how it would stop all traffic in and out of the city for Christmas._

"_Mummy!" I shout, waving my hands round to get her attention. "How is Santa Claus going to bring Sokka and me our presents if all the traffic has stopped?"_

_Mummy gave me a funny look. "Santa has a very special sleigh. IT's snow and rain and storm proof, so that bad weather doesn't stop him."_

"_Good," I said, relaxing back into the comfy booth. " 'cause I spent hours making Socky's presents." _

"_You're such a good girl, Katara."_

"_Oh! Is Sokka coming to the Christmas pageant at school tonight? 'cause I have a big part, and I'm the lead singer in the choir, and I know he isn't in it this year, because he blew up the Art Room with one of his espera… esperi… _x-pair-ah-ments_. Do you wanna hear me sing something, Mummy? I'm really good, and I know it's supposed to be a secret, but I think one song isn't too bad. Ready? I know all the words to all the songs. _Deck the halls with_…"_

"_Hush, Katara," Mummy said, staring back at the television screen. "Mummy is listening."_

"This just in! Hurricane Kaya has now been upgraded to a Stage…" _I couldn't hear what else the news lady said, because all the people in the café started talking at once._

"_Mummy! The storm has the same name as you!" I shouted, bouncing up in my seat excitedly. _

_Mummy stood up, opening her wallet and counting out the notes. "Time to go sweetie…"_

**xXx**

Katara woke up from her nightmare screaming. She was thrashing around; the sheets wrapped around her like a boa constrictor. She couldn't breathe, her body was covered in cold sweat, and Hawky was screeching, caught up in her hair again.

"Get off!"

Hawky stopped his thrashing and allowed Katara to unravel him. He nipped at her hand in thanks, before flying back up to his pedestal.

Katara fought to regain her breath.

No one came to check on her. Her screaming was normal now, like the creak of the house and the whine of the roof. Sokka lived in his man-cave - the basement – and never heard. Her Dad's bedroom was at the other end of the house. Her Gran Gran slept like the dead.

Dead… Mum…

Katara curled up into a ball and dry sobbed.

**xXx**

She had hoped that school wouldn't give her crap or throw her to the wolves today. Katara had never felt so foolish in her life.

Iroh had decided to kick things up a notch. Somehow, he had managed to find more places to put more decorations up. Lights glittered everywhere, wreaths graced every single door. Mistletoe was stuck up everywhere and the girls were acting like kittens in heat. It was all so utterly stupid.

She scowled and her classmates moved out of her way, jumping back like she was diseased. For all Katara knew, she could have been. Everyone else in the world seemed happy except her.

"Good morning class!" Pakku announced as he strode into the room, a bounce in his step and a gleam in his eye. "Today we will be looking at _A Christmas Caro_l by Charles Dickens."

"What the hell is the matter with Pakku?" one of the boys behind her whispered to his friends.

"Dunno. Is he possessed? Did Aunt Wu finally die?" his friend replied

"Why would he be happy is Aunt Wu died? Hei that's terrible!" one of the girls scolded.

"Because he hates her," the final boy answered. "You know – every time he has tea she's all up in his face and predicting his future."

"And we know how Pakku feels about his space," Hei mumbled.

Katara knew exactly how Pakku felt about his space. It was His and anyone who tried to enter it was risking their life.

Katara groaned, her temper becoming dangerous as she realised why Pakku was so happy.

_I didn't dream it…_

"Maybe he got laid?"

"Pakku? Laid? That means someone willing went near him."

"He isn't all that bad," the girl said. Katara realised that she was On Ji and the only other girl in her class. "Actually kind of hot for an older guy."

And Katara's _Gran Gran _agreed with On Ji on that one.

**xXx**

It was a day for discovery. First, she had caught her English teacher sneaking out of her house at dawn, after spending the night in her Gran Gran's room.

Her first thought had been: _Why is Toph wearing Teo?_

Now…

"Oh God! What the fuck are you doing here?"

… now, she had caught Toph making out with Teo…

"Katara! I… this isn't… why didn't you knock?"

… in a closest…

"It isn't what it looks like, Sugar Queen!"

… and her only thought was: _I haven't even gotten that far with anyone yet._

"Well, it _looks_ like Teo just had his hand up your shirt as you straddled his lap and sucked his face off."

Teo could only remove his hand from said position as Toph slid off his lap.

Suddenly, Bee's teasing the other day made a lot more sense

**xXx**

"This isn't criticism, but how do you blow up a science lab with gunpowder when it is wet?" Katara asked, as she placed a set of tiles on the scrabble board.

"I don't know," Haru admitted as he kept his eyes glued to the board. "And it wasn't gun powder…"

The rain was bulleting down against the windows as Katara sat in the library with Haru. Her biology class had been pushed into Haru's chemistry class, because her teacher's boyfriend had suddenly whisked her away on a last minute vacation. The Chem teacher was a good friend and didn't seem to mind. The Bio class had their work – summarising this terms information in preparation for the exam – and the Chem class were going practical.

Haru grinned and spelled EARTH.

Katara formed the word IDIOT using the T.

"I told you, I'm sorry," he said. "What more do you want from me?"

"Another blazer," Katara said, her eyes flashing dangerously, "and my whole years' worth of notes back. Sorry doesn't quite cut it."

"Look. I… um…" Katara saw the blood rushing to her cheeks and pursed her lips. She was still a little singed, and the ends of her hair were burnt. "Pass."

Katara rolled her eyes and mumbled some choice words under her breath as she carefully spelled out IMBECILE, connecting it with EARTH.

Haru quickly spelled CRUEL out.

Katara retaliated with SNARK.

"Is that even a word?"

"Jargon Files defines it as a 'system failure. When a user's process'-"

Haru held his hands up in surrender and Katara snorted. She had never been this pissed at someone since Sokka had _accidently_ demolished half her bedroom when she was thirteen.

Haru fidgeted in his seat under the power of Katara's very best Death Glare. She was not happy. After a shitty morning, having her blazer and Year 11 Bio notes incinerated had done nothing for her mood. Haru, being the reason, was also the perfect remedy. She would torture him to within an inch of his life.

And possibly find out if he was Anonymous.

Katara really hoped he wasn't.

He had burned her hair!

Haru placed ACCIDENT on the board. Katara was impressed by his efforts, which made her even angrier, so she countered with BASTARD. He quickly added TWO.

"Look, Katara… if it's really such an issue, I can give you my blazer until you are able to buy a new one. And the notes, I'm sure you can borrow more from one of your classmates."

His idea was a good one, but Haru was missing the point. Katara decided not to answer, adding the word MAUVAIS.

Haru looked boggled for a moment… then he just looked frustrated.

"That's not a word."

"Yes it is."

"No, it isn't."

"'Mauvis' is French," Katara said. She knew her smile was no longer as poisonous, because she could feel the smug satisfaction that came with beating someone in anything, especially if they had just done something moronic that _affected_ her directly.

"It isn't in the dictionary! That's one of the rules! It has to be listed in a dictionary."

Katara cleared her throat. "It's in the French-English dictionary."

"What does it mean, then?"

"It means bad. Il fait mauvais, for example, is roughly 'there is bad weather'." With a smirk she leant over the table and flicked his rack around. A collection of random letters – featuring Z, X, W, U, D, F, O, U – greeted her. Her smirk grew bigger as she assessed the board. "And I win."

"Katara!" he yelped, sounding like a wounded animal, as she stood up and brushed off her grimy skirt. She shrugged, the bell sounding, and headed away. Haru scurried after her, still complaining.

"Seriously, Katara, I'm sorry."

"I know you are, Haru," she sighed, rubbing at her head. "I'm going to go home and explain it to my Dad and hope that we can get another one for free or something."

Haru's face relaxed and his whole posture became uplifted. They walked in comfortable silence for a while. A few students stared at them, talking quietly between themselves. Katara's next class was her other Year 11. She frowned when she remembered that it included Mai.

"So…" Haru started, giving her a nervous smile.

"So," she mimicked, without the drawl. Haru eyed her and loosened his tie. They were all but at her classroom door. He seemed to panic, realising their imminent parting.

Mai was standing beside the door, looking into the classroom with her usual monotonous expression. A group of students tittered around her. When they saw Katara they all seemed to freeze.

"Katara…" Song started, just as Haru said: "Katara, there is something I need to speak to you about…"

Whatever Haru wanted to tell her was lost in the chaos that erupted around her like a volcano. As she stepped into the classroom, her ankle pressed against something. She saw the faces of her male classmates go as pale as ghosts as their eyes widened in horror. She heard Song gasp. And she felt the milk.

Milk.

Tipped on her head.

Katara stood in the doorway, frozen, soaking wet and smelling like sulphur and dairy. Haru was behind her, his eyes bugging out of his head. Song was standing with her group of friends, hands over her mouth, as the boys all tried to apologise over one another.

And Mai stood silently, a smirk on her usually blank face.

Katara wiped a hand across her face, dashing the milk away and shaking off her arms. She noticed that another seven buckets of milk sat in the classroom and felt her eyes narrow into slits.

This was her gift?

"Katara, I am so sorry!" one of the boys was shouting, his voice breaking as it climbed octaves. "We just wanted to prank… we saw the buckets and decided that… it wasn't meant for you!"

Katara didn't reply. Her eyes were glued to the note that rested in Mai's outstretched pam, slightly damp from the spilled milk. She took a squishy step forward, her embarrassment turning to cold fury.

_Katara,_

_I know it says "eight maids", but you're the only "maid" I want in my life…_

_Love Anonymous_

Mai lifted an eyebrow, her expression turning to cruel amusement, as Katara lifted her eyes to meet the other girls.

"Okay students, listen up! We have an assembly instead of the usual…" Yugoda, Katara's teacher, said as she and Iroh turned the corner to the pantomime Katara was playing out with Mai.

"You are so dead, Mai."

"In a bit of a _moo_-d are we, Katara?"

"What happened?" Yugoda yelped rushing over to Katara's side and peeking into the room.

Iroh stepped forward cautiously, his eyes cast with sadness. "The best laid schemes of mice and men…"

Katara really didn't care for his proverbs today.

**xXx**

"When we get to lunch, I'm throwing waffles at you," Katara muttered angrily as she sunk into her seat in the theatre for the final year assembly.

Mai gave her a look of boredom and flicked her fringe out of her eyes. Katara was livid. Gloomy Hair Buns had known about the prank! And hadn't warned her! Katara was trying to keep from murdering the girl as she walked calmly beside her like the Queen Bitch she was.

"Katara, we don't have any waffles. You can throw pancakes at her," Sokka called from a few seats away.

"Screw it. I'll just push her down the stairs."

"Someone's a little tense."

"Someone's gonna be a little dead."

"Mai, leave Katara alone," Haru snapped from his place two seats away from Katara. He bent forward so he could see them both, his eyes narrowed.

"What?" Mai pouted in outrage. Katara hadn't thought that possible.

"I'm not scared of her. I can handle myself," Katara added, glaring at Mai.

"Yeah, and hissing kittens think they're badass too."

"Haru! I can look after myself!"

"Says the girl covered in milk!" Haru snapped. "Katara, she knew and didn't say anything!"

"What is this, pick on Katara day?" Aang asked in frustration. "Leave her alone."

"Do you even know what we are discussing?"

"He may not, but I do," Jet interrupted.

Mai cocked an eyebrow. "Really?" She turned to Katara. "I hope you like violence, because you just stabbed someone in the back with a knife."

"Excuse me?" Katara asked.

"I'm just saying if Jet knows about our little conversation, then someone just got murdered by betrayal."

"Well, Mai, you would know all about that, wouldn't you?" Jet said debonairly, smiling brightly.

"Whatever, Rebel. At least I'm not trying to play with the already dying."

"By the way, I never got to tell you, but I think death looks great on you."

"Someday soon, Rebel, your mouth is going to be the source of your own destruction."

"That does seem likely, doesn't it?" Jet glanced at Katara and shrugged. "Until then, it remains a source of my own amusement."

"Ah, does anyone know what they are talking about anymore?" Sokka whispered loudly to Toph.

Toph shrugged. "No idea. But it's entertaining as hell. I think it may have something to do with Katara, immortal vampire teenagers, jealousy and love at first sight… or I may just be thinking of that movie Ty Lee really likes."

"Toph, I don't think anyone asked you to _open your mouth_…"

Toph turned dark red and shut up. Bee poked Katara in the shoulder from behind and whispered in her ear, "So, you finally jumped on the band wagon? Did you walk in one them too?"

Katara shivered. Just how long had they been doing… _that_ in closets? That was taking coming out of the closet a bit far, wasn't it?

**xXx**

When Katara got home, it was to find her Gran Gran waiting for her on the front steps of their house. She stood up quickly, as soon as she saw Katara, and ushered her inside. Her Gran Gran said nothing, closing the door quietly behind her and directing her to the left. Her father was seated in the lounge room, his hands hanging limply between his legs as he twisted his wedding ring around. Bato sat beside him, a hand on his shoulder in silent support.

Gran Gran cleared her throat and he looked up, his neck cracking. "Katara… you're here."

She could only nod.

"Sit down, Katara," Bato said, giving her father a questioning look as he rubbed his shoulder. "I think you'll need it."

She sat. And waited. And sat some more.

"Guys, what…?"

"Katara, I'm so sorry."

She blinked, her words lost on the tip-of-her-tongue.

Her father still couldn't look at her. "I'm so sorry. Please, just know that after I explain everything." Without any word, Bato stood up and came beside her. He gazed down at her, his eyes heavy and sad, and offered her a smooth pendent on a chain wordlessly.

She held it limply. "This is a betrothal necklace…"

Her father gave a sharp nod with closed eyes.

"Why are you giving me a betrothal necklace?" She raised a hand to her own necklace clasped around her throat, feeling the smooth surface of the blue pendent underneath her fingertips.

"Katara, you're…" Her Gran Gran looked away. "Engaged."

"Excuse me?"

Bato picked up where her grandmother trailed off. "Katara, something has happened. Tensions are high between our country and some of the others. You've heard about the Civil War in your brother's friend, Zuko's, home country, right?"

Katara wanted to correct Bato. _Zuko is my friend too_… but she couldn't speak past the blob in her throat. She only nodded.

"That's happening in other countries. People are saying that it might happen here." He looked at her father, with a glance so heavy it made Katara sink into the ground. "Your father and I… we work for the government. We protect our home, defend it. We fight for our country. And we have to make sacrifices every day we do so."

Sacrifices?

She knew that her father held an important position in the government. She knew that he was close to being the Defence Minister. She knew all this…

"Why am I engaged?"

"It's…"

"Political," her Gran Gran cut in, her eyes coming to life. "It's all for politics. Your engaged to Hahn Izura, who is the son of one of our allies leaders…"

"Hahn?" Katara whispered quietly, but in the stillness of the room, it sounded like a scream. "I'm engaged to Hahn?" Yue made more sense: her words, that day, in Café Cobalt; her behaviour lately; the way she looked at Katara sadly, pityingly.

Why hadn't Yue told her?

"Katara," her father still wouldn't look at her. And Katara decided that that wasn't good enough.

"You sold me off," she hissed. "You played me like a piece in a chess game. You set me up, used me to get to the king." Her gut twisted. "How could you?"

"Katara, please."

"Look at me!"

He didn't. His eyes turned up to Bato, imploring, pleading. Bato looked back, just as ruined, and Katara wasn't in the room anymore. She heard her Gran Gran sob.

"Fine."

Katara stormed out of the room and locked herself away.

* * *

**Authors Note: **It all went wrong! Look, it needed to happen some time. The milk just seemed the perfect opportunity to do it. I WROTE CHPATER NINE! I finished the chapter of bloody problems! Go me! What do you think of this? Different enough for you? The ending... interesting? bad? And yes, Haru and Katara played Scrabble... just cause.

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

Teaser:

"_Spirits, Katara!" That was as close as Yue would ever come to swearing. "You really need to stop worrying about what other people think and start living your life for you, everyone else be damned! Now, you're going to the Winter Carnival, and you're going to enjoy every minute of it, even though you hate it, understand?!"_

_"That's an oxymoron…"_

_Yue gave Katara a Look. It was pure ice and the coldest, most vicious blizzards. It promised a slow, agonising death. It scared the Hell out of her._

_"Katara, I'm giving you ten minutes to shower. If you haven't shampoo'd, conditioned, shaved and washed by then, I will be coming in and you won't like it if I come in…"_

**Read and Review**

- EIS


	9. Ladies Dancing

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** APOLOGISES! I am so sorry! I was locked out of FanFiction last night and couldn't get this chapter out! But it is here now, so there!

**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Nine:** Ladies Dancing

**xXx**

_On the ninth day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Nine Ladies Dancing  
Eight Maids a Milking  
Seven Swans a Swimming  
Six Geese a Laying  
Five Golden Rings  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

Thursday 21st

**xXx**

"Katara…"

Why couldn't she just have a moment of peace?

"Katara, wake up…"

What was the point of everything, anyway?

"Katara, stop ignoring me…"

She couldn't do anything.

"Katara, I'm going to ask you again…"

She had nothing anymore, really.

"GET UP!"

Katara felt the cold water hit her like a punch to the stomach. She hissed like a cat, jumping out of bed, and snarled at her attacked. Katara caught the drool-inducing scent of warm chicken and sent a suspicious look at Hawky. The bird eyed her off like she was the crazy one. She growled, turning away to focus back on Yue. Yue stood, hand on a hip, in the doorway, a bucket at her feet. Her eyes looked sad, and her face was worn.

"What the hell?" Katara yelled.

"You wouldn't get up."

"I didn't want to!"

"Well that's too bad, then."

"What the hell is your problem?"

"At the moment, you."

"Gee, Yue, I'm sorry for not getting up this morning. It was just I was having a hard time, because I found out last night that my father sold me like a pig and that my best friend had been lying to me-"

"I didn't lie to you."

"You never mentioned it."

"You never asked. So, technically, I wasn't lying Kitten."

Katara narrowed her eyes at Yue in frustration and resentment. Out of everyone who could have possibly stopped by to check up on her, it had to be Yue. Yue, who had known about this little, ridiculous, stupid, frustrating, _fuck-up_ of a situation. Yue, who she had trusted and who had betrayed that trust (kinda… sorta… Hell).

"I told you not to call me that! And what the hell are you doing here? I thought I had locked my door!" she glared at Yue as fiercely as possible, before she caught the delectable smell again. "And why do I smell chicken?"

"Well _Kitty_, I am here because I need to talk to you, obviously. I've been trying to get a hold of you all day, but for some reason, you've been making yourself scarce. You only looked the front door, the backdoor and your bedroom but you forgot your bedroom window; which is why I was able to climb the drain pipe and get in. And you smell chicken because I brought you a chicken wrap, considering your Gran Gran called me during lunch and announced that you hadn't eaten since recess yesterday," Yue was watching her, her eyes clouded and filled with shame.

Katara, ignoring the stab of guilt and burning unhappiness in her heart, glared at Yue as she slowly reached out and took the wrap. Yue's face brightened marginally, but when she noticed that Katara was still glaring, she frowned. Katara decided that the upcoming conversation would require all her strength, which was the only reason she started eating the wrap.

Not because she was hungry, or anything.

Or because Yue made the best chicken wraps.

Yue snuggled down in Katara's desk chair as she took a hesitant, controlled bite. Yue said nothing, playing with one of Katara's toy birds (her fourth gift) and humming softly under her breath. It made Katara curious and uneasy. But it also eased her own dark feelings. Yue was a calming influence – a moon to Katara's raging, roaring ocean. It had always been like that. Which is why Yue's betrayal… Yue's _withheld_ information stung her so badly.

Katara finished her first wrap and took the second slowly. "Well, what do you want?" Katara asked as she started eating.

"I want you to go to the dance tonight, since you skipped today," Katara nearly spat out her tasty, fabulous, warm bite of chicken wrap.

"Absolutely not."

"What if I said please?"

"Then I'd have to say _sorry, but no_. I have other plans."

"What other plans?"

"Staying here and catching up on some much needed peace." Katara picked at her wrap, staring at Hawky as the bird eyed off her meal.

"You can rest at the dance."

Katara paused before taking a sip out of the strawberry milkshake Yue had also supplied. The cool liquid was a balm on her scratchy throat. "Where's the bloody logic in that?"

"Why don't you want to go?" Yue asked, ignoring the previous question and completely changing her attack.

"I don't dance," Katara answered simply, eyeing off her friend.

"No one asked you to dance. I just want you to show up."

"Why?"

Yue hugged the calling bird closer. "Because hiding from your problems isn't going to make them go away."

Katara bit her lip, hating Yue's logic. "Hahn will be there."

"So will all our friends."

"This isn't some sort of scheme of yours to try and get me and him together, is it?" Katara asked hoping to actually get an emotion from Yue beside indifference and calmness.

"Of course not!" she all but yelled. "How could you even say that?"

Mission: Complete.

"No," Katara shrugged, scrunching the napkin up into a ball and throwing into the corner of her room. It missed the bin completely, bouncing off the wall and rolling around till it sat in the doorway. Hawky dived after it, picking it up in his talons, and stated shredding it.

"Why not, Katara?" Yue demanded, her patient exterior fading.

"Because I don't want to go. Plus people will stare and start badgering me with questions."

Yue recoiled, confusion consuming her calm. "People will… questions? Katara, no one but you and I know about the… arrangement."

"Hahn knows," Katara pointed out sullenly.

Yue rolled her eyes. "Hahn is Hahn. An idiot and a bastard." Katara spat out her latest sip of strawberry milkshake the liquid going everywhere and landing squarely on Yue. She wasn't fazed. "And if he says something, I will personally make his life miserable."

"What? You… make someone's life miserable…" it was too strange. It was impossible. Yue was the nicest, sweetest most innocent person Katara had ever met.

Yue gave Katara a small smile. "Wanna know why my engagement to Hahn didn't work out?" Katara nodded, her eyes wide. "I set him up. At a party, I got him drunk and asked an old friend to straddle him and make it look like they had been making out. Part of the contract between our fathers was loyalty and monogamy. In breaking that contract, Hahn effectively broke off our engagement."

"Seriously?"

Yue nodded. "And you remember Renji?" Katara thought for a moment then remembered the day in Café Cobalt.

"The dude with Hahn?"

"Yep. I was engaged to him, too."

"What?" Katara breathed out, scrambling out of her blanket cocoon to sit on the edge of her bed, right before Yue.

"It happened on the same day you were engaged to Hahn."

"That's… that's horrible. They shouldn't be able to do that! This is the twenty-first century! People just can't… sell of women like this, to the highest bloody bidder. What about human rights?"

Yue shrugged helplessly. "That part, I still don't understand."

Katara frowned. "Wait, you said _was_. You said you _were_ engaged to Renji. Past tense," she narrowed her eyes at the white-haired girl. "As in, _no more_. How? Why?"

Yue sighed. "I made sure that they found out what I did to Hahn."

"What?"

"I got a friend to set the rumour… then I confirmed it when asked." Yue bit her lip. "I think my father is looking at disowning me, because of it."

Katara's heart clenched. "Oh, Yue… I'm so, so sorry. If I had known…"

Yue shook her head, leaning forward in the desk chair and taking Katara's hands between her own. "No, no. Don't blame yourself, Katara, it wasn't your fault. I tried to tell you – at Café Cobalt – but then Hahn and Renji showed up and…"

"Then Zuko and Jet arrived," Katara finished for her. She rubbed at her face. "Still, Yue, I'm sorry. I was… I was a bitch before, just now…" Katara's anger and resentment had vanished. A small seed still sat in the pit of her stomach, twisting and turning, but it was at her father, not at Yue. "I want to make it up to you. Being a shittty friend when you needed me… I'll do anything you want. Anything."

Yue gave her a small smile, before something flickered to life I her eyes. They brightened, turned a gleaming bright blue, like electricity. "Come to the Winter Carnival with me."

"… nearly anything."

Yue frowned, but her eyes never lost the gleam. "Katara!"

"Yue, I can't," Katara tried, making her eyes as pleading as possible. Yue was either immune to the Puppy Dog Eyes or couldn't see.

"Why not?"

"People will…"

"Spirits, Katara!" That was as close as Yue would ever come to swearing. "You really need to stop worrying about what other people think and start living your life for you, everyone else be damned! Now, you're going to the Winter Carnival, and you're going to enjoy every minute of it, even though you hate it, understand?!"

"That's an oxymoron…"

Yue gave Katara a Look. It was pure ice and the coldest, most vicious blizzards. It promised a slow, agonising death. It scared the Hell out of her.

"Katara, I'm giving you ten minutes to shower. If you haven't shampoo'd, conditioned, shaved and washed by then, I will be coming in and you won't like it if I come in…"

**xXx**

When Katara was about to turn six years old, all she had wanted for her birthday was a polar bear dog.

Of course, it wasn't actually a half-dog, half-polar bear. If Katara was being honest, she couldn't even remembered what the actual breed of dog had been. All she remembered was that it had been big and white and so very soft. She didn't care what kind of dog. She just wanted one – of dog of her very own. She had been visiting her dad's parents, and they had a lot of dogs. One of them had been a puppy – little fluffy white and black ones – Husky's – which huffed happily when she held them under her chin and which liked to curl up with her on the couch. More than anything in the world, she wanted to keep one of those puppies.

Her father had said it would never happen.

When the morning of her sixth birthday rolled around, Katara hadn't been happy. They had just come back from visiting her grandparents. Katara had never really held up much hope in her birthday. It was too close to Christmas. But when her mother came into her bedroom holding his little ball of black and white fur and plopped it onto Katara's chest, and she looked into Wolf's great big blue eyes, she knew a joy such as she had never known before in her life and never expected to feel again.

As Wolf got older, his black turned to a more blue-ish colour.

Two years later, when her mother had died, Wolf had been her only friend. Then he had died to, only a few days after her mother's funeral. Katara had never felt so empty in her life.

Until now.

Yue's driver pulled up in front of the school. The first thing Katra noticed were twinkly white lights in all the windows, and every single tree and bush within a hundred metres. Lights shaped like icicles hung from the roof and the breezeways. Katara was nearly blinded when she stepped out of the window, and realised at the last moment that the windows had been tinted against light.

She was sure she was going to throw up and she mentioned this to Yue. Yue said that she couldn't possibly throw up, because I had only eaten the two chicken wraps over twenty-four hours, and they had been three and a half hours ago. She said that Katara would have happily had digested all her food. With that piece of encouraging information, Yue escorted Katara up the steps and into the school. They paused just before the doors.

"Here," Yue said, handing Katara are pale silver and white mask.

"Why do I need this?"

Yue made a strangled noise. "Because it's a masquerade." Yue slipped on her own mask – a delicate lavender colour – and trooped inside.

There were masses of people teeming around the coat check in. Yue's body-guard come driver checked in their jackets. Katara had put up a fight, wrestling the over-grown man futilely for possession of her jacket. It had caused quite a scene, students gathering and placing beats.

Scowling, Yue had led Katara into the gym, which had been attacked by the Fairies – or was it Elfs? – of Yule Tide Joy and decorated with cut-out paper snowflakes and fake snow everywhere. Iroh had even managed to sneak in more icicle lights.

Katara had never felt so out-of-place in her life.

The she was attacked by her friends.

"You skipped school! I'm so telling Da–"

"Katara, you missed everything! First, Chi–"

"Where were you?"

"Why did you stay home? Where you sick? Or up–"

"Sugar Queen, I'm rubbing off on you–"

"Oh my gosh, Katara–"

"I thought you had died–"

Katara held up a hand, flapping it around like she was trying to shoo away a fly as she made strangled shushing hisses at her friends. They all looked nice. Ty Lee was wearing a bright pink, poofy, cupcake princess dress. Suki looked elegant in green and bronze. Toph was wearing a pants suit (or perhaps a tuxedo), and Teo sat in his wheelchair beside her dressed in a tux of his own. Sokka, Aang and Haru each wore their own basic tuxes.

Aang's was bright blue.

Azula looked like a princess, dressed in a traditional Chinese tunic-dress, with her hair pulled back in a perfect bun. A few stray hairs had been elegantly styled to fall out of place.

Before Katara could answer any of their questions, Iroh came on to the microphone.

"Welcome, Welcome!" he crooned, dressed in a jolly green and red get up. "It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the annual Avatar Winter Carnival!" A cheer went up among the students, a few wolf-whistling happily. Katara only crossed her arms and scowled heatedly.

"To open, we will have the traditional Waltz of the Snowflakes!"

Without further ado, nine girls fluttered in and started dancing. Katara had never understood this tradition. Traditionally, the Nutcracker was performed in the city. Traditionally, the local ballet school (which Katara had – sadly – been forced to be a part of from the time she was five till the age of ten) and was performed as part of the annual Christmas Recital. Why the Waltz of the Snowflakes had become a part of the Winter Carnival tradition, Katara couldn't explain… and didn't really want to, either.

The only thing she was thankful for as she clapped along with her fellow students was that they only did a part of the actual dance.

Jet came to stand beside Katara just as the last straining chords vanished into applause. Up on stage, Iroh did the usual thank you and introduced the first dance – another waltz. After these first two, the floor became more of a club scene.

Smiling softly, Jet offered his hand with a small bow.

"May I have this dance?"

Speechless, Katara may or may not have registered the words said to her as her own hand reached out slightly in reaction to Jets movement. Taking this as a yes, Jet slipped Katara's hand into his own as he led her to the dance floor through the easily parting crowd.

_We are the lucky ones_

_We shine like a thousand suns_

_When all of the colour runs together_

Jet automatically assumed the leading position as he slipped an arm around Katara's waist, pulling her close as he raised their other clasped hand to the proper height. Taking their first steps together, Katara noticed all the seniors and some of the other year levels had started dancing.

_I'll keep you company_

_In one glorious harmony_

_Waltzing with destiny forever_

"Katara…"

She paused. Waited for him to say more. When he didn't, she looked up. His face, though hidden behind his half-mask, was pained and strained. She was instantly concerned. "Jet? Jet, what is it?"

_Dance me into the night_

_Underneath the moon shining so bright_

_Turning me into the light_

Katara was caught up in the dance. Partners swapped and she found herself dancing with Haru as the chorus of the Dark Waltz was sung. She couldn't be certain though, because of the mask.

From the side of the dance floor friends, family, and teachers watched in little groups. Katara wondered what they saw. Graceful unison, maybe. She saw Sokka, standing tall, his eyes shimmering with pride, his face beaming with happiness. She couldn't help but feel a little happy by that.

_Time dancers whirling past_

_I gaze through the looking glass_

_And feel just beyond my grasp is heaven_

"I'm glad you could come, Katara." Yep. Definitely Haru.

"I suppose."

"Because I really need to talk to you… do you think that after…"

_Sacred geometry_

_Where movement is poetry_

_Visions of you and me forever_

_Dance me into the night_

_Underneath the moon shining so bright_

_Let the dark waltz begin_

Partners swapped again and Haru's request was lost to the dancing. Her new partner was unrecognisable. He wore a full mask, blue and slightly frightening; the shadows cast by the wandering light gave her mysterious partner a softer appearance. She didn't say anything in greeting and neither did he. The two continued to elegantly make their way around the dance floor.

The beginnings of a foreign feeling started to trickle into Katara, one that she didn't understand.

_Dance me into the night_

_Underneath the moon shining so bright_

_Let the dark waltz begin_

Katara spun and she was back with Jet. He gave her a small smile and leant in. His smell – earthy and warm – assaulted her senses. "You look pretty incredible tonight, Katara. Tsk, tsk. Trying to out shine the competition?"

"What?" she asked just as he executed a sharp spin.

"Think about it…"

_Oh let me wheel – let me spin_

_Let it take me again_

_Turning me into the light_

The song ended and he gave a cocky bow. "My lady, I bid you adieu."

Katara stood, stunned, in the middle of the dance floor for a few moments, as her mind tried to catch her up. Eventually it caught up enough to send her sprinting after Jet, pulling her dress up so she had a better stride.

"Jet, wait!"

He did. He turned with a self-possessed confidence that Katara had never seen anyone else pull off.

"What did you mean?"

Jet raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"What did you mean… when you said that thing earlier?"

He leant against the gym wall, crossing his arms lazily over his chest. "You'll have to be more specific, Katara. I say a lot of things to a lot of people."

She stamped her foot. "When we were dancing! You said I was trying to out shine the competition!"

"Aren't you?" he asked with indifference, like he already knew the answer.

"Of course not! Why would you say that?"

"Because you have never come to the Winter Carnival, in fact, I don't think you have ever come to a dance period–"

"That's because I was in the junior school!"

"– and suddenly, after I hear a rather peculiar rumour, you show up looking like a Moon Goddess."

Katara was startled into silence. Jet, though, waited patiently for her to get her bearings. "Yue looks like the Moon Goddess."

Jet eyes took on a strong feeling Katara couldn't place as they flickered up to seek out her best friend. "You're right. She is a Goddess." He looked away quickly, fists clenching. "Fine then… a Snow Princess, perhaps an Ice Queen." Katara had never heard Jet compliment Yue that… sincerely. She hadn't heard him complete anyone that sincerely, ever, come to think of it.

"So? Yue picked out this dress. She kind of did everything for me, actually."

Jet shrugged. "Either way, you let her. And we all know that if you didn't like what she was doing, you would have put a stop to it quickly."

Katara wasn't paying attention. Her mind was reeling. Jet hadn't flirted with anyone recently. He had been good. He had been careful. At Café Cobalt, he had deliberately slid into the spot beside Yue, right in front of Hahn's face. At Zuko's, he had nearly gotten into a fisticuff with June… over something the strange woman had said to Yue. During the water balloon fight, Jet had hesitated before throwing anything at Yue. And he hadn't hesitated to pellet Katara as viciously as possible; the same went for all the other girls.

Could Jet..?

"You like Yue, don't you?"

"Like? I don't like Yue…"

"Love," I dawned on Katara so suddenly she lost her breath. "You are in love with Yue, aren't you?" She hadn't realised how not-quite she had been until he reacted.

Jet jerked away from the wall, his eyes widening as they steeled firmly on Katara. His face lost colour quickly, his eyes turning panicked. He moved quickly, like a striking snake, and placed a hand around her mouth, smothering her lipstick in the process. "Shut up Katara," he hissed. "Fuck. Could you be any louder?"

"It's true!" Katara tried to say, but all that came out was a muffled, "Iz fru-vous-uham."

After he had glared a few curious eyes into submission, Jet let her breath again. "You can't tell anybody."

Katara gaped. "But… why?"

Jet looked terrified. "You just… promise me, Katara. Promise you won't say a thing to anyone. Especially Yue."

Katara couldn't speak.

"Promise?" He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed. "Promise me."

"I promise…" Jet looked relieved. But that relief turned to absolute suffering in an instant, before he quickly drowned it in his usual cockiness. "But why?"

"Because…" he trailed off, looking away and letting her go. His fingers had left impression in her shoulders. "Nothing. Don't worry."

"Of course it matters," Katara said, appalled. "You love her! That isn't just something you can put aside–"

"Really? I've been doing a rather fantastic job of it so far."

"Stop Jet. Don't get snippy. I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Why?"

"Leave it, Katara."

"No."

"Why won't you just let it go? It has nothing to do with you, but everything else in the fucking world seems to…"

Katara gasped. "Who told you? Who told?"

"Fuck it, Katara–"

"Who told you I was engaged to Hahn?"

Jet froze. He went still, stiller then a statue, stiller then the dead that lay in the ground beneath their feet. He looked at her, for the first time since she had exposed his secret, and Katara saw more pain and anguish than ever. And then she realised that Jet hadn't known.

"You're..."

"Children!" Iroh boomed, bustling over to them. Katara didn't take a step away from Jet, even though they were close enough to kiss and touch each other like lovers. "I hope you are having a good night tonight!" He looked at their faces. "Though it seems like the opposite."

"We had a disagreement," Jet said slowly, stepping away from Katara like she was a dangerous wild animal or a nuclear bomb about to go off. "We said some things we…" he looked at her, out of the corner of his eye, and took in her devastated appearance and utterly destroyed expression. "We said some things we regret."

Iroh nodded. "Ah, I see…" he looked between them, considering. Katara felt small. She felt small and young and pathetic.

"I'm going to leave," Jet announced. "I'll see you at home, Iroh." He turned to Katara. "And I'm… I'm sorry, Katara."

Katara nodded weakly and watched as he left. She felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder as he wrapped her in a hug. For the first time in weeks, she didn't really mind. "Many a true word is spoken in jest… and they are the hardest words to forget."

**xXx**

She found the note when she got home. It was in her jacket pocket.

_Katara,_

_I dedicate the Waltz of the Snowflakes to my maid_

_Love Anonymous_

* * *

**Authors Note: **This has literally been the CHAPTER FROM THE UNDERWORLD! So hard to write, then, just when I wanted to publish it and get it out here, I was locked out of fanfiction! So, I'm sorry that I missed the date! Anyway, you will be getting two chapters today. This one and 10.

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

Teaser:

No teaser for you! Here is why: I eliminated one of Katara's possible Admirers. JET IS IN LOVE WITH YUE! Squealing! Anyway, that leaves you with: Aang, Haru and Zuko.I will say this about next chapter: Katara goes through some emotional upheaval, she makes a life-changing discovery and Yue is awesome.

**Read and Review**

- EIS


	10. Lords a Leaping

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** **WARNING! Dark THEMES. ADULT CONCEPTS. BE WARNED!**  
**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Ten:** Lords a Leaping

**xXx**

_On the tenth day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Ten Lords a Leaping  
Nine Ladies Dancing  
Eight Maids a Milking  
Seven Swans a Swimming  
Six Geese a Laying  
Five Golden Rings  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

Friday, 22nd

**xXx**

She couldn't sleep. She had a headache and her stomach kept churning, bubbling inside her like an acid pool. Katara pushed off her covers and sat up, her breathing quick and uneven. She pressed her palm over the distressed frown on her forehead and closed her eyes. She blamed them. That stupid gang. The Southern Raiders. It was their fault that she hadn't been able to sleep on the night of the twenty-first for nearly eight years. It was their fault that she was cold and shut people out.

It was their fault that they had taken her mother away from her.

Katara absently brushed the stray tear off her cheek and slipped out of bed. Without hesitation, she crept to her window and flung t wide open. The sky was a steely, bruised mix of grey and purple. A storm was coming; to drown her sorrows and wash clean the blood from her dreams.

Dressed only in her flimsy shorts and over-sized t-shirt, Katara swung out of her window and moved to grab the drainpipe. Nimbly, with the ease of years of practice, she hoisted herself on to the roof. It was damp from last night's rain. Uncaring as she was, she lay back, curling into a ball, and watched the waves of clouds crash into one another and dissipate.

Closing her eyes, she took a steady breath in. She didn't feel righteous anger, or burning hatred. She didn't feeling drowning sadness. All she felt was empty and bare.

Katara had been the one to find her mother's body. All of them – she, her brother, her mother and her father – had been out Christmas shopping. Her mother had left them; going to buy something she had "forgotten". When she hadn't come back, Katara had slipped away from her brother and dad as they admired some new fishing gear.

Her mother had been lying in the middle of the alley in a pool of her

"Katara?"

Katara stopped breathing. Her father must be in her room, or standing in the hallway, if she could hear him this clearly. She frowned. That was new. Usually, he stayed away from her on the anniversary of her mother's death. She knew it was because she looked very similar to her mother.

"Katara?" she heard knocking on her door.

"Leave her be, Hakoda," her Gran Gran said, sounding more distant then her father. "Why do you want to see her, anyway?"

She heard her dad sigh. "Because we need to talk about the…"

"Absolutely not." Katara had never heard her Gran Gran sound like that. Cold. Distant. She slid down the roof, carefully avoiding the bird droppings and strange markings, before dropping back into her room. "Not today, Hakoda. Not today, of all days!"

"We need to discuss this like adults…"

"It's the anniversary!"

"And Kya wouldn't want Katara sulking about and acting like she does. In all honesty, I think Kya would be disappointed in Katara. She does this every year. Kya wouldn't want her to do that!"

Katara felt her temper boil. She felt her eyes prickle. She couldn't stay here anymore. She just couldn't. She grabbed her woolliest, heaviest, warmest jacket off its hanger and slipped into her canvas runners. She flung the door open just as her Dad and Gran Gran were about to declare all-out war.

"Katara…"

She didn't listen. Katara shoved by him and sprinted out the door.

**xXx**

Katara was curled up with Yue under the other girl's massive duvet as they watched the third _Santa Claus. _Katara had run to Yue's and the other girl had taken her in without another word. They had gone to Yue's room, picked the movies, and settled in for the marathon. Unfortunately, Katara spent the whole time thinking about Jet.

At least it got her mind off… other things.

In fact, Katara was actually feeling something resembling positivity when Yue's butler announced the arrival of visitors. Yue smiled graciously, thanked the older man, and detangled herself from the cocoon she and Katara had become entombed in.

"Be back in a jiffy!"

"No one says jiffy anymore," Katara mumbled back, rearranging the blankets and pillows around herself. A quick glance at the clock told her it was nearing six-thirty.

When she heard the door rattling, she didn't bother looking away from the screen. "Did you get more ice cream? Because we are nearly out and ice cream fixes everything."

"I go something a little… hotter than ice cream."

Katara turned, confused, and saw Yue standing with Jet and Zuko. Jet was watching her cautiously, standing easily beside the door frame and leaning like he owned the place. Katara knew exactly what he was thinking. Katara tried to portray her innocence with her eyes.

"Katara, are feeling… up to leaving my room?" Yue suddenly announced, breaking through her staring match with Jet. Katara blinked.

"Uh…"

"Because Zuko has eight tickets to see _The Nutcracker_ in town." Yue said all this carefully, like Katara was a ticking time bomb about to explode. She didn't understand why though. Yue knew better than anyone that Katara just felt… numb.

"I'm not going home," she said.

"What?" Jet barked, lifting an eyebrow as his face turned both confused and curious.

"I'm not going home." Katara repeated, like she was talking to a little boy.

"And that is relevant because..?"

"Because I have nothing to change into," Katara said, " as all my clothes are at my house."

"Can't Yue give you something?" Jet sighed.

"Have you seen Yue?" Katara asked, giving him an _are-you-stupid?_ glare.

"Surprisingly," Jet snarked narrowing his own eye sin warning," I have seen Yue."

"So, you should realise that she is at least five-seven and I am a measly five-one. Thus, none of her clothes will fit me."

"Just ask Azula to borrow something," Jet ground out, like this whole conversation was beneath him and a waste of time.

Which it was, but Katara wasn't going to admit that.

"Azula?"

"Yes, Dagat, Azula. As in Azula Agni? As in Zuko's sister? As in the princess of a small but very rich and powerful nation? As in…"

"Say as in one more time and you won't be having children. Ever."

They glared at each other. Katara was trying to make her glare say _we-need-to-talk-about-the-whole-you-being-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-being-to-wimpy-to-tell-her-thing-even-though-she-likes-you-back _thing.

Katara had done a lot of thinking last night, as her annual insomnia had taken over. Yue's actions over the past few days: her constant questions about Katara's non-existent relationship with the Idiot; her worry that Jet was flirting with her; her obvious and rather blatant checking out when Jet had stripped after their water balloon fight.

She wondered why two people who both had brains could be so completely stupid about the whole thing.

"Jet's right," Yue spoke up, her blush prominent as she cast the boy a look out of the corner of her eye. "Azula and you are the same size. You can borrow some of her stuff when we pick her, Sokka, Haru and Suki up on our way into town."

"So, get your ass out of bed and whatever stupid funk you need ice cream for and met us in the car," Jet snapped, turning on his heel and leaving.

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Katara said.

"Somebody else woke up on the wrong side of the cave this morning," she heard Jet shout from somewhere in the house.

**xXx**

Whenever the anniversary of her mother's death came round, Katara either stayed in bed all day, being depressed, or got up and distracted herself. Ever since her incident five years ago, she had gone with the later. Yue usually supplied this distraction. Sometimes Toph.

"Wow," Haru said as she descended the stairs beside Azula and Suki in Zuko's house. He looked over them with wide, pleased eyes. Katara shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. "You look…"

"You clean up well," Jet said as he unslouched from his customary position leaning against a wall. He was chewing gum. "I didn't know you could look like a girl, Katara."

Katara glared. "You know, Jet, we are learning the Freudian Theory of Psychosexual development in Psych. The theory of psychosexual development describes how personality develops during childhood."

Jet lifted an eyebrow. "And…"

"Psychoanalytic theory suggested that personality is mostly established by the age of five. Early experiences play a large role in personality development and continue to influence behaviour later in life.

"If these psychosexual stages are completed successfully, the result is a healthy personality. If certain issues are not resolved at the appropriate stage, fixation can occur. A fixation is a persistent focus on an earlier psychosexual stage. Until this conflict is resolved, the individual will remain "stuck" in this stage. For example, a person who is fixated at the oral stage may be over-dependent on others and may seek oral stimulation through smoking, drinking, or eating. I believe that you have an oral fixation, because you rely on Zuko and are always chewing pens and gum."

"Is this supposed to be insulting? Because if it is, I'm missing the part where I get, you know, insulted."

Katara tsked. "If fixation occurs at this stage, Freud believed the individual would have issues with dependency or aggression. Which explain you perfectly, with an added bow around the package."

"Seriously, what is your point?"

"No point. I just wanted to make it clear to you that you have a problem."

Jet gave her an incredulous look. "Are you okay, Katara? I think we still have the number of the shrink who looked after Azula lying about somewhere… would you like me to call?"

The shrink-dig hit Katara a little hard. She had to bit her lip to keep from biting Jet's head off. She settled for saying: "Careful, pot. Someone might notice your resemblance to the kettle."

The front door opened before Jet could respond and Sokka strolled in with Zuko. He froze when he saw Katara standing at the bottom of the staircase, grasping the balustrade. Zuko had a similar reaction. "What's this?" he demanded, looking from Katara to his companions, as if they might know what she was doing there.

"It's a girl," Zuko said, recovering his composure. "Surely you've seen girls before, Sokka. Your sister Katara is one. See? She's right over there."

Sokka made a strangled noise. "Exactly! Katara is right over there!"

"Ah, Sokka…" Suki started, before trailing off helplessly.

"You!" he said, pointing a finger at Katara. "Why are you here?"

"I'm seeing the ballet."

"Yes, Dagat," Azula piped up, her eyes gleaming. "That would be why everyone else is here. Unless, of course, you just like dressing up in a tuxedo and getting a lift with my brother to our house for no apparent reason at all."

"Are you always a smartass?"

"Nope. Sometimes I'm a girl."

Sokka gaped. "That made no sense."

"Of course it did. You just didn't get it."

"Are you always this witty?" Sokka snapped.

"If you want to see witty, my best days are Monday through Friday, and Saturday and Sunday."

"Azula," Yue noted, "that covers the whole week."

Azula nodded her head. "Pretty much."

Sokka continued to stare at Azula for a while longer before turning his attention back on Katara. "Can I have a word?"

"Sure," Katara said. "No."

"That was two words," Zuko pointed out.

"Can we go already?" Jet snapped, turning and walking out of the room. He had a habit of doing that. Katara wondered what would happen if people didn't follow him out of the room when he left.

Probably cry.

**xXx**

Azula and Sokka were still bickering like two-year olds when they're little possy arrived at the theatre. A nice man that Katara couldn't remember the name of took their coats and put them away. Then, an equally nice woman Katara couldn't remember the name of led them to the desk.

"Is this date night?" she asked as Zuko handed over all there tickets. Katara wondered where in the world she could have gotten that idea from then took a good look at their group. Somehow, they had all paired off. Jet was beside Yue, explaining something as she laughed. Haru and Suki had wandered off to look at the approaching shows and ballets arriving in the next season. She was by Zuko, watching warily as Sokka and Azula glared at each other.

Zuko bit his lip. "Well, you see…"

"We're not dating," Sokka suddenly said, turning his attention away from Azula to look at the woman behind the counter. She flushed in embarrassment… and something Katara decided was flirtation.

"Oh?" Azula said, scowling as she noticed the girl's attention. "So you're just that friendly with everybody, is that it?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at the pair of them. Sokka was gaping and Azula was glaring, while Zuko gape-glared.

"Hey," Sokka said, crossing his arms. "You were the one who said that you didn't want to date me."

"That doesn't mean you can flirt with everything that has two eyes and a mouth," Azula said back sullenly.

"I repeat: you didn't want to date me. Even though I asked you to be my girlfriend. Five times."

"It was four," Azula corrected.

"No. Five. That first time? Yeah. It wasn't a joke."

"Stop, stop, stop," Zuko said holding a hand up. "You two are dating?"

"No ,we aren't," Sokka said sulkily. "She turned me down."

"Sokka…"

"Five times."

"You asked my sister out five times?" Zuko said, his voice dropping a few decibels.

"And she turned me down." Sokka threw his hands up in the air. "But she didn't stop making out with me! And, yeah, the whole friends with ben–"

"Sokka, I am warning you…"

"Dude!" Sokka flapped his arms around like a startled chicken. "I asked her out! She was the one who said no! I'm trying to do anything but have a relationship!"

"With my sister. Without telling me."

"Seriously? That's what you're pissed about?" Sokka asked in disbelief.

"Yes, that's what I'm pissed about!"

"I think I may have opened a closet," the girl behind the counter said, her eyes wide. "And found some skeletons." She turned to Katara. "Should I say something?"

Katara shrugged. "My brother is an idiot. And so is Zuko." She turned back to the trio and jumped into their little face off. "Guys! I'm cranky. I'm tired, and I want to find our seats. Shut up and continue this after the Nutcracker!"

**xXx**

The curtain of the theatre rose with a swish of crimson velvet and an obliging murmur from the crowd. Katara felt a customary shiver of excitement as the drapes swept open to reveal an elaborately constructed set, built with a towering, glittery Christmas tree. She loved the theatre and eth air of culture that it seemed to be swathed in. Ballet was her favourite. She had been going for as long as she could remember, sitting in the dark red seats. Well, she hadn't gone since her mother had…

Being friends to a prince had its perks. Unlike the _plebeians _below (as Azula so dubbed them), Katara and the group had gotten seats in a private box. They had wonderful seats, right at the front of the box. The theatre itself was gloriously old-fashioned, with gilt railings, faded vines stretching across the ceiling, and everything in either crimson or a dark blue.

When she had entered, Katara hadn't been surprised to see a plaque reading _AGNI_. Haru, Suki and Sokka all fidgeted and squirmed in boredom as the first scene started playing out. Katara did not. She absorbed every movement and look, every instrument. Next to her, Sokka tugged at his collar in discomfort. Azula pinched his thigh to get him to stop and Katara frowned.

Sokka and Azula together…

On her other side, Zuko sat with Jet, Yue at the very end. Both he and Jet looked absolutely incredible tonight. Yue looked exactly like the Moon Princess Jet had compared her to last night, dressed in her icy-white dress.

Katara turned her attention back to the stage and was lost. Sometime later, when the interval came in a storm of clapping and cheering, the curtain swung down and the theatre as illuminated. She turned to Sokka only to find he had vanished with Suki. Azula was pouting unhappily, tapping her long nails against the balustrade in front of them.

Deciding that Azula wouldn't kill her in public, she turned to face the other girl. "So… you and my brother have been together for how long exactly?"

Azula gave her a measured look. "We aren't together. But we have been… special friends since Halloween."

Katara didn't bother to stop her jaw as it dropped open. "Halloween? That's…"

"Seven weeks, two days and thirteen hours."

"You know the exact time?"

Azula blinked. "Of course."

"And you aren't dating?"

"Why?"

Katara was baffled by the other girl's sheer stupidity. "So, let me get this straight. Even though you technically aren't together, you have been seeing each other exclusively for seven weeks, two days and thirteen hours. You get jealous when he talks to other girls

"Flirts. When he flirts."

Katara shook her head. "Sokka doesn't know how to flirt. It's against his nature. With the desk girl, he was just being polite."

"No, he was flirting," Azula said stubbornly her eyes narrowing.

"No, he wasn't." Katara slid into Sokka's old seat and turned fully to Azula. "And you are acting like a twelve year old with their first crush. Azula, Sokka likes you – enough to continue this _special friendship_ even though you turned him down four times."

"Five times."

Katara gave her a look. "That's my point. You know exact figures. He actually asked you out even after you shut him down. I'm guessing you were the one who wanted to continue… whatever it is that you have?"

Azula nodded the affirmative. Katara lost it. "You are a heartless bitch."

Sokka and Suki, who had just re-entered, stopped dead in the doorway. Zuko and Jet turned around, abandoning their conversation, to stare at Katara with disbelief.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard. You are a heartless, selfish bitch who is making my brother miserable because of your spoilt nature. Sokka deserves better. He likes you, Azula, and you just sit there and rattle of facts and tell me it means nothing to you. He stuck around because he likes you and doesn't want to hurt you, and you don't seem to care. If you keep this up, he will leave."

"Katara…" Sokka started, taking a step forward, his face unusually serious.

"No Sokka," Katara snapped, standing up. "It isn't right, it isn't fair and it sure as hell isn't going to keep happening."

"You can't make that decision," Azula hissed.

"Like hell I can't!" Katara yelled, startling the couple in the nearby seats. "Consider this whole charade over. You are not going to hurt my brother anymore. You are not going to use him only when you see fit and you are not going to continue being a bitch. Grow up. You aren't thirteen anymore, Azula. You've done your time; you have had your help. Sokka is only with you now because he probably doesn't want to send you back to the sanatorium you came from. Well, let me tell you something we both know, Azula – you aren't crazy and you sure as hell aren't going back to that place. You are a big girl now, and if you can't deal with your emotions like an adult, then you shouldn't be in an adult relationship with my brother!"

Katara sprinted, refusing to sit there anymore. Her emotions had woken up; she was no longer numb and senseless. She was angry and pissed off and she wanted to slap Azula for being so stupid and bitchy. Katara only stopped when she heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Aang?" she asked in disbelief, breathe coming in short bursts.

His smile grew bigger. "Katara! What are you doing here?"

She blinked as he trotted over, saying something to the elderly gentlemen he was with. Whoever it was, they had a white beard and a distinctively crazy look to their eyes.

"I'm seeing the show…"

"Really? That's awesome! I'm here with Bumi," Aang paused and pointed to the crazy man. "He is a relative of Toph's or something, and knows some of the monks who look after me. See?"

Katara nodded. "That's… interesting."

"Isn't it? Apparently, they all know Iroh as well, 'cause he just ran off to the bathroom too…"

"Principal Iroh is here?" Katara demanded, just as the same (somewhat soothing) booming voice Katara had become accustomed to announce its presence.

"Miss Dagat, it is Iroh! IROH!" he yelled happily, smiling like Santa as he embraced her in a bear hug.

He released her and she doubled over, catching her breath. Aang patted her on the back worriedly, asking repeatedly if she was okay. She waved him off with her free hand and stood up, wondering just how many had seen up her dress.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded as politely as possible.

Iroh laughed. "Watching the ballet, of course! Just like you!"

Katara was about to ask something else when she heard Haru's voice behind her. "Katara, are you ready to come back…?"

She turned, seeing his face flushed with colour, and rolled her eyes. "It depends…"

"On what?"

"On my brother and Azula."

Iroh frowned. "What has Azula done to young Sokka now?" His eyes widened fractionally as a thought occurred to him. "She hasn't broken up with him, has she? That would be terrible!"

Katara spun around, her eyes burning. "You knew?" she breathed.

Iroh gazed at her. "I know a lot of things, Miss Dagat. All of them have to do with my niece and my nephew, and their happiness." He gave her a calculative look. "Please, just remember, Miss Dagat, that no man is an island."

She felt Haru's hand on her arm. "Come on, Katara. It's about to begin."

**xXx**

Iroh's words and face swam in and out of her mind all through the last act of the ballet. She clapped half-heartedly, too distracted to pay proper attention. While she had been calming down, the seats had been rearranged. Azula now sat at the end, followed by Jet, Yue, Zuko, Suki, Sokka, her, and then Haru. She hadn't been the only one distracted. Zuko had looked unhappy throughout the rest of the performance. Frowning in thought as he leant against the railing and trailed a hand.

As they piled out of the theatre, Sokka grabbed her arm and pulled her aside. He looked furious.

"What the hell was that, Katara?"

She felt tired. Her usual numbness wasn't around to keep her sane. She felt angry and sad and guilty and furious. And tired.

"What she is doing isn't right," she said evenly, her voice soft and exhausted. Sokka didn't notice, or ignored it.

"That's for me to decide, not you."

"She's using you, Sokka. She's stringing you along like a love-sick puppy dog."

"Maybe I liked it. Did you ever think that I liked our arrangement? That I was happy with it?" His voice gave him away. The shake in his hand told her otherwise.

"We both know that's a lie."

Sokka was furious. "What the hell. What the fuck, Katara. You have no right to come into my life after staying out of it for years and trying to dictate how I should be living it!"

"I'm your sister…"

"And you try to act like my mother!" he shouted, pushing her away. She stumbled, her heart clenching at his words.

"I'm not mum," was all she got to say before she choked on her own throat and felt tears spring into her eyes.

"So stay out of my life."

"Sokka, I have every right to worry about you. Azula has problems…"

"Don't." His voice was hard. "Don't even go there, Katara. You have no right to preach to me about how to live my life when you couldn't even handle your own."

"Katara continued to frown. "Sokka… what I went through was tough." She looked pleadingly at him. "And I don't want you…"

"What you went through was tough? She was my mother too! I loved her just as much as you!"

Her anger flared. "Shut up, Sokka."

"No! I won't! This is and always has been about you, Katara! You are the reason that we all have walk like we are on top of glass! Azula may be selfish, but you are too!"

"I am not!"

"Yes you are!"

"You don't know what I'm going through, Sokka, you have never known that I have had to deal with."

"I've had to deal with it to!"

"No you haven't! He is selling me off, Sokka, he is selling me off to Hahn because

Sokka punched the wall and laughed bitterly. "Oh, poor, little Katara. You think I don't know? It's such a terrible thing, isn't, being told that you have to marry into the lap of luxury. Such a shame. Such a burden. He's only doing it because we can't deal with you anymore. Because you–"

"What?" Katara shattered.

They had created a scene. People watched them, whispered to each other as they yelled at each other. Katara couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could he call her selfish? How could he say that he suffered just as much? How could he lie to her face like that?

"Enough," it was Zuko who stepped between them. "Enough. Don't do this now."

Sokka glared at him, shaking Zuko's hand off his shoulder. "Take her home. I don't want to see her."

Zuko didn't give her a chance to respond. He cradled her under his arm and led her away, the crowd breaking in two like he was Moses and they were the Red Sea. They still whispered, and Katara caught sight of her friends watching her with pity. She hated the pity the most. They didn't get it.

When Katara came back to herself, they were on a balcony – or perhaps the roof? – and looking out over the city. Zuko sat them both down and together they watched the lights silently.

Katara was certain that he waited twenty minutes before asking.

"How did your mom die?" Zuko searched the sky for constellations.

Katara let out a brief sigh. "Mugger... she was dragged into an alley way and refused to give up…" She shut her eyes and lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Never caught the guy."

Zuko looked down from the sky to give her a once over. "I'm sorry."

"You never told me how you got your scar." Katara answered calmly, opening her eyes and looking back to the stars.

Zuko's eyes followed the stars again.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Katara snorted, her anger cresting. "That's rich. You ask about my mum, knowing that she died and that it was' easy on me, knowing that I took pills–"

"Shit, you took pills? Katara, I didn't mean to–"

"And you just shut me out completely? I didn't have to talk to you Zuko; I didn't have to come tonight. But I did because I thought you and Jet could get my mind off it." She slapped the hand he reached out to her with away and bit her lip. Looking away, she wondered why she didn't just leave. Why she didn't slap him and _go_.

"My dad…" Zuko started, making it so Katara had to look at him. "My dad used to be… is… was abusive. When he sent my mom away because he thought she was an insurgent, he used me to... vent." He winced at his own words. "That's kind of why I rebelled against him; kicked him out as ruler. Because of my age, though, there were… issues"

Katara sat up. "Issues?"

Zuko shook his head, snorting. "Things back home… they aren't what they are here. He was the law. No one would go against him. He was king, he was ruler, he was God and anyone who went up against him was dead." He shook his head. "How did she die?"

Katara shifted uncomfortably. "I don't want to talk about it."

They sat in silence. Katara could feel her anger stirring, just thinking about the Southern Raiders and King Ozai. It wasn't fair. On either of them. And it wasn't fair that Zuko dredge it up, try to get her to talk about it.

She felt his hand on her shoulder. Turing slightly, she felt a pressure land in her lap. She looked down and froze. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to know somet–"

What little control she had vanished. "You just wanted to know?" Zuko looked at her, his face a torn hurricane of hurt emotion. "Well, screw you. She died eight years ago today. I tried to kill myself five years ago today. She was shot in the middle of the head, point blank range, and I found the body. Is that what you wanted to know, Zuko? Is your curiously satisfied now? Knowing that she died buying my stupid Christmas present? Or maybe you want to know how my father is selling me off to the highest bidder because he can't deal with me anymore? Is that it? That he sold me to Hahn because he can't stand the sight of me?"

"Katara–"

"Don't touch me!" she choked out angrily, her voice loud and shrill.

"Katara, please, I–"

"Are you good now Zuko? Get all the answers you wanted to know? Do you understand me better now?"

"I do–"

"No, you don't!" she yelled, standing up and shoving him. "You don't know. You don't get it. No one does. Not even Sokka gets it. I saw her on the ground. I'm the reasons he is dead!" He reached for her again. "I said, _don't touch me_?"

He said something, but she didn't know what, having succumbed to her grief and hysteria. Her mother was dead, and she was never coming back. It was a fact that she had already deciphered, already processed and known for years and years and years, but it was suddenly hitting her all again. She was eight again, and she was in the alley and the Southern Raider's bandana was in her hand and soaked with blood as she tried to help her mother and stop the bleeding…

She turned and fled.

**xXx**

Yue had left Katara alone with her thoughts when the doorbell had rung. Katara's eyes were bright red. Her cheeks felt puffy, her throat was dry and her nose was dripping. She heard Yue's light knock on the door and the other girl entered.

"That was Zuko…"

Katara had no reply. She just sat, staring at the light blue wall.

"He's sorry. He looked a mess…"

Katara shrugged. Yue sighed. The bed dipped as another weight joined her on the bed.

"He told me to give you that."

Katara turned when Yue had left the room. A neatly wrapped present sat on the bed and Katara could only stare at it. She wondered if he had given up after tonight. Anonymous was Zuko, and he had given up on her because of how she had acted tonight.

Katara's heart clenched and she realised that she was upset.

She crawled across the bed and picked up the box, setting it on her lap. An envelope fluttered on to the sheets beside her and she picked it up with stinging eyes. It wasn't a white sheet of paper though. It was a card with 16 emblazed on the front.

_Happy Birthday, Katara Dagat_

_Love Zuko_

* * *

**Authors Note: **I apologise for not publishing this last night, when it was supposed to be up. Anyway, here is CHAPTER 10. Drama, Drama, Drama! Now children, a lot more is making sense in this chapter. Two big revelations: the **Sokkla** relationship and why Katara Dagat **hates Christmas. **Iroh is Iroh, and I even introduce BUMI! But wait - where is Anonymous?

WAIT AND SEE!

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

After that dark and depressing saga, we will return to more good-humour in the next chapter.

Teaser:

No teaser for you! I will say this about next chapter: Katara is... happier because she is starting to understand, Yue and she have a moment, shirtless gentlemen are discussed and another admirer is ELIMINATED from the running.

**Read and Review**

- EIS**  
**


	11. Pipers Piping

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** See: the title  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** After last chapter, we return to the humour! It is shorter, but I figured that you wouldn't mind. One more to go after this… anyway, **WARNING!** Dorkiness and Nerdiness abound! All beliefs are mine and mine alone!  
**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven:** Pipers Piping

**xXx**

_On the eleventh day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Eleven Pipers Piping  
Ten Lords a Leaping  
Nine Ladies Dancing  
Eight Maids a Milking  
Seven Swans a Swimming  
Six Geese a Laying  
Five Golden Rings  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree _

* * *

Saturday, 23rd

**xXx**

Yue found the note on her kitchen table in the morning, with all the mail form the previous day. The butler said it had been dropped off last night, just after they had returned from the show.

_Katara,_

_I hope you enjoyed the show as much as I did…_

_Love Anonymous_

Katara had stared at the note throughout breakfast. She didn't even blink. It was impossible. She couldn't believe it. It wasn't fair.

Yue had read it over her shoulder and frowned. "What does that even mean?"

Katara had no answer.

Katara had never felt so terrible.

Last night kept playing in her mind, stuck on a torturing repeat. She really needed to talk to Sokka, but he was ignoring all her calls. And Zuko had vanished off the face of planet. He wasn't at home, he wasn't answering his phone, and he wasn't at his usual spots. Katara had practically stalked him up and down the city. She had stooped so low as to call Jet of all people. He hadn't been very happy, but had grudgingly told her that Zuko was in a meeting.

After Katara had asked how long the meeting would be, Jet hung up on her.

Yue had watched her sadly the entire time and eventually Katara had had enough.

"How about we watch some DVD's?" Katara suggested awkwardly as Yue mooned out of the window. While Katara had been stalking, Yue had been mooning. Katara was pretty sure that it was over Jet. "I mean… if you have the time spare and If you'll still have me… because I can leave if you want…"

That grabbed Yue's attention. "You will do no such thing, Katara Dagat!" she shrieked, tackling Katara to the ground. Katara had been too stunned to react.

"Um…"

"Don't ever say that!" Yue scolded, slapping Katara incessantly.

"Alright… alright… stop hitting me, I said okay!"

Yue calmed. "Someone needed to slap some sense into you. You've been bipolar these past few days, and after last night." Yue stopped, smiling bashfully and stood up. "Anyway, what do you want to watch?"

"I don't know… what do you have on offer?"

Yue led Katara downstairs to a black cupboard. She opened the doors to reveal nothing but DVD's. Katara's fingers glided over the covers to see which titles looked even remotely interesting. Then she yelped, which made Yue jump in surprise.

"You have _Doctor Who_? You have all the series! Oh my Spirits!" Katara said.

"Yes?" nodded Yue cautiously. "Sokka had them for a while since he wanted to investigate the sciences behind it, or something… but I finally got them back."

"Oh please," grunted Katara as she rolled her eyes. "Still better than Teo. He had my _Doctor Who_ stuff for five months, and counting, because he is trying to build the sonic screwdriver."

"Well, if anyone could do it, it would be Teo… or his father…" Yue giggled.

Katara grinned broadly, series one, two and three tightly pressed against his chest. Her eyes scanned the shelves for anything else that looked interesting when another familiar cover caught her eye.

"And the _Vampire Diaries_? Really? I wouldn't have pegged you as a _Fang-girl_."

"I'm not," Yue snapped as she rolled her eyes. "I borrowed them from Suki for… research. I mean, it's the only thing that she and Ty Lee talk about these days, since they watch them together. So I wanted to look for myself, see if they were any good. And I, for my part, am disappointed. I mean, come on! It's always the same thing!" She made a disgusted face, poking her tongue out cutely. "The handsome, tortured vampire who desperately tries to be good, falls for a human girl with the personality of a Aang's lemur and doesn't want to turn her since he is oh-so tortured by his curse. But, he still jumps on her wagon and dates her. Even though she is growing older by the day and death is creeping up on her like a bad rash. Then, another, very powerful vampire becomes interested in her and the battle for her soul begins! This is like, the hundredth version of Buffy. Not the worst, I'll admit. That remains with _Twilight_, but it's always the same! These gloomy, tortured vampires even look the same! Take Stefan Salvatore and compare him in the looks-department with Edward Cullen and Angelus. At least Stefan and Angel don't sparkle like five year old girls after a glitter gun explosion."

"Honestly Yue, if you don't put a lid on it I will personally kick your ass from here to Madagascar," Katara said with an eyebrow raised. "You don't watch the _Vampire Diaries_, or, Heaven Forbid, _Twilight_ for their original story lines and riveting protagonists. You watch them for the hot, tortured side characters and the supporting cast – Damon Salvatore and Klaus Michelson; you watch them for Jasper Whitlock and Seth!"

Katara watched as Yue giggled again, watching as Katara tried to balance the three series she still held of _Doctor Who_ with the box sets she tried to grab of the _Vampire Diaries._

"You plan on moving in, don't you?" Yue said with another giggle. "And not coming out of my bedroom from the rest of your high school life?"

"What? No. You'd have to change the whole colour scheme if I was to move in. And we aren't watching all of them, episode by episode. We're only going to watch the final episodes of _Doctor Who_ since they're always the best. I mean, first season? Okay, wait strike that. We will watch when Captain Jack Harkness makes his entrance into the plot and possibly the David Tenant doctor. And the final. Because it's epic."

Yue gave her a cheeky grin. "You know, Katara, as much as I can't wait to watch… all those episodes of _Doctor Who_, I may have a better idea."

Katara gave her a suspicious glance. "Better then _Doctor Who_?"

"I have every _Harry Potter_ DVD… and every _Lord of the Rings_ extended edition."

Katara dropped everything and rushed back to Yue's room. When the other girl didn't follow her, she stopped and spun around, her braided hair smacking her in the face. "Hurry up! Draco awaits!"

**xXx**

After Yue demanded a toilet break between _The Prisoner of Azkaban _and the _Goblet of Fire_, Katara found herself alone with Zuko's present. She still hadn't opened it and it sat on Yue's vanity, mocking her. But every time she saw it, last night played through her mind and she wanted to cry.

She had been a bitch. She had been mean. She had been inconsiderate.

She really wanted to talk to Zuko, about what she had said on the roof and what he had been about to say…

She really, really, really wanted to talk to Sokka about their fight and to apologise to Azula.

She tried calling the home number, thinking that without caller ID Azula was more likely to pick up.

"_Season greetings! Uncle Iroh speaking!" _

Katara resisted the urge to groan. Of course, it would be Iroh who answered.

"Uh... Hello Uncle Iroh," Katara tried to make her voice perky and bright and filled with all the false holiday cheer she could muster, but it was a pathetic effort and she failed magnificently.

"_Oh, Miss Dagat_!" Iroh sounded like he was shouting. "_How are you, my dear? I heard from my Nephew that you had a particularly hard night yesterday, and I can only hope that you are feeling better today... but you do not sound like it_."

Katara shifted on the bed, pulling one of Yue's over-sized teddy bears into her lap and stroking its soft head. "Zuko talked to you about last night?" She wanted to slap herself. She sounded absolutely pathetic.

"_My Nephew was inconsolable when he arrived home last night. He said that he had made a grave mistake. I could almost feel the turmoil rolling off him like waves upon the shore. In all honesty, Miss Dagat, I have never seen him so despairing or desolate in my life. Even after what happened with his father..."_

"Oh?" Katara breathed, feeling her guilt and shame as it ate at her.

_"Miss Dagat, he said that you were yourself grief-stricken. That it was both your birthday and the anniversary of your mother's death."_

Katara had to clear her throat a number of times before answering. "Yes, that's right."

_"My Nephew also told me that you were engaged to marry someone against your will."_

"Zuko told you a lot..." Katara didn't know how to feel right then. "Actually, this all has to do with my needing to talk to him. Is he... is he home? Will he... will he talk to me, Iroh?"

She could almost picture Iroh's face as he answered._ "I'm afraid that he has need to enter into a meeting with his government back in our home country. I cannot disturb him."_

_"_Of course..." Katara really hated herself. Why should she sound so bloody upset? Of course he wouldn't want to talk to her. She had been terrible to him last night, pushing him to answer questions about his scar. Who was she kidding? He would never speak to her again.

_"Do not think that I am making excuses, Miss Katara."_ Iroh's voice sounded harder then she had ever heard it._ "If my Nephew knew that you were calling, he would want to speak to you, trust me on this. No matter what you said last night, he is not angry."_

Katara felt tears prickle in her eyes. "Just... let him know I called, please?"

"_Of course. I will let him know as soon as he has finished with his business_."

Katara felt relief like she hadn't realised was possible. "Thank you. I'm sorry to have bothered you..."

"_Don't apologise for something that was no burden or issue. I enjoy talking to you, Miss Katara. But please, just remember that faith will move mountains_."

"I will. Thank you, Iroh." She hung up and lay back down, tossing her mobile to the side.

She felt invigorated after her chat with the old man. Courageous. She felt like she could do anything in that moment and Katara gave herself a firm nod and rolled over on the bed, reaching for her mobile and quickly finding Azula's number. Before she could think herself out of it, she hit CALL.

"_Hello?"_

Katara panicked. She really couldn't do this. Why was she calling Azula again? What was the point?

"_Hello?"_

She cleared her throat. "Ahem… uh… hello Azula. It's… Katara…"

Azula said nothing and Katara was convinced the other girl was about to hang up. "_Katara_?"

"Yes! Hi! How are you! No, actually, don't answer that. You probably feel terrible!" Katara slapped her forehead and coughed awkwardly. "No, sorry that came out wrong! I meant I've probably pissed you off, because of how I acted last night! Which was very bitchy, by the way… in case you didn't realise." She gave a breathy, half-hysterical laugh. "Of course you realise. I was bitchy to you, so you would have realised my bitchiness. God, what was I saying? Oh yeah! I, um, I really feel terrible about what I said last night Azula. I shouldn't have said it like that, in front of everybody, and yelled you. I was having a shitty day – not that that is any excuse – and I guess I was surprised that you and my brother…" Katara stopped. Were they even together anymore? Or had Katara officially scared Azula right off her brother? "Look, I'm so, so, so sorry! I was crass and rude and cruel, and you didn't deserve the public bashing I gave you! It was insensitive and wrong." Damn, she was rambling. "I'm going to stop talking now, because I am probably the last person you actually want to talk to. So I'm hanging up." Katara hung up.

Then she realised she hadn't said goodbye. Frantically, she redialled. Azula picked up on the first ring and before she could get a word in Katara said, "BYE AZULA!" And hung up again.

Katara threw the phone away like it was on fire and then sat watching in disbelief and mortification. Yue found her in that position when she re-entered after her bathroom break.

"It isn't going to bite you, Katara."

Katara jumped, maintaining eye contact with the mobile. "Yep. Mhm. I know that."

Yue poked her in the shoulder. "Then stop eyeing it off like a rabbi rabbit."

Katara grudgingly looked away, allowing her eyes to focus on her friend. Yue was still dressed in her pyjamas. Katara, still hyperactive and anxious, started tapping a rhythm out on the remote as the opening of _Goblet of Fire_ started. Ten minute sin, Yue slapped her hand.

"Ouch!" Katara said, cradling her hand to her chest as she stared at Yue.

The other girl scowled. "What on earth is your problem, Katara? And don't tell me it's because of the anniversary. You are usually fine by now!"

Katara gaped at her. Then shut her mouth and wiped her saliva away. Yue was determined. Her mouth was set in a stubborn line, her brow was furrowed and Yue's eyes burned into her. Katara shifted under the scrutiny, and scratched her hair.

What could she say? That she was still upset with Sokka for what he said in a moment of anger? That she desperately wanted to speak to Zuko, to apologise? That she was worried, actually worried, because she hadn't found a gift or note from her admirer? That Jet was in love with her but too afraid to go after her? That she seriously didn't want to marry Hahn be taken away from her family and her friends, just because some politician had told her too?

Katara settled for explaining her feelings about Sokka, Azula and Zuko. "Last night… when I yelled at Sokka and Azula. I feel terrible, Yue. I had no right to screech at her and say what I did. It was low and mean, and I can't forgive myself! And Sokka… what he said about Dad, and me being selfish… he's right. And I hate myself, because I didn't notice, but I don't know what to do now I know. What can I say to that? And he isn't picking up his phone, and I'm not scared to call home. I don't know what to do and it's scaring be, because I always know what to do. I'm in deep water, miles from shore, with no direction or light. I'm caught between swimming in a direction and trying to find shore or just letting myself sink down to the bottom."

Katara, done with her speech, turned away and started playing with the tassels on one of Yue's embodied pillows. She didn't know. She didn't know what to do, or what to think.

Harry's name was pulled out of the Goblet, and Dumbledore was yelling when Yue finally spoke up.

"It wasn't completely your fault, Katara." She refused to look at her friend. "What you said to Azula – admittedly in the worst way imaginable, and at the worst time – was right. What she was doing to Sokka wasn't okay. I don't agree with _how_ you said it, but I agree with _what_ you said. Azula needed to hear it, maybe not in the way you presented." Katara felt herself blush and hid her face away in Yue's pillow. "And Sokka… he shouldn't have said those things about your father."

"But he was right," Katara said, her voice muffled by the pillow that she was suffocating herself with.

"Yes and no." Katara looked up then, but refused to look at Yue. She fixed her eyes to the screen as Hermione and Harry started plotting and Ron acted like an idiot. She had always hated Ron after book four. His attitude to Harry was utter bullpoop. And after book six, she had wanted the red-head to die a horrible and painful death for the way he treated Hermione.

"Katara, you both suffered after your mothers passing. You just suffered differently. I agree with you partly – finding her body was harder, but he still lost his mother. And then he nearly lost you." She felt Yue's hand grasp hers and squeeze tightly. "Thanks for telling me, by the way. It isn't like you are my best friend or anything."

Katara knew her cheeks would be brilliant red, but she couldn't stop the blush.

"And he shouldn't have said those things about your… marriage. He doesn't get it. He won't ever get it and he has no right to say anything about it. But, in the same way, you didn't have the right to say those things about his relationship with Azula. You don't know how he feels, or how Azula feels. Just like he doesn't know how Hahn feels. You both had no right." Yue paused, grabbing Katara and pulling her so suddenly that she fell into her friends lap. Yue grabbed her face between her two hands and forced it to look at her.

"Yue…"

"And this Zuko thing… does it have anything to do with where he took you after the blow up with your brother?"

Katara bit her lip and nodded. "He asked me about mum… you know how she died. I wasn't nice. I asked about his scar," Yue gasped, "and he said he didn't want to talk about it. I kinda blew up in his face and gave him a ranty speech… I exploded at him, told him to go screw himself and threw information at him left right and centre. I told him about finding mum… I told him about trying to kill myself and… other things I'm not proud of. Then I ran away."

Yue's pale eyes were wide. Then, without realising what she was doing, Katara started talking. And talking. And talking.

She told Yue everything that had happened in the last ten days. She explained everything; the gifts, her thoughts, the conversations, the realisations, the girl – Meng – who had been at the fair… Katara just talked, and Yue listened, and nothing had felt so good in such a long time.

Then they were quiet. Yue could say nothing else and Katara had nothing else to say.

**xXx**

It was only when Hermione was entering the Yule Ball, and the boys watched her with wide eyes, that Katara finally asked the question that had been nagging her for days.

"Do you like Jet, Yue?"

Her friend tensed – Katara's head was still in her lap – and worried her lip. "Why?"

Katara shifted, looking at Yue properly. "Don't avoid the question."

"I… I really do, Katara."

"Tell me."

And Yue did. It was like Katara's invitation opened huge damn. Yue just spilled everything. Her jealousy when she had thought Jet liked Katara – which had caused the rift in their friendship that had lasted the last few weeks – her absolute dismay when she found out she was supposed to marry Renji. Then, Yue was suddenly talking about what she liked about Jet and what she disliked.

"…And then he blushed. You know how much I love when he blushed. The red goes so well with his amazing eyes. It makes them glow even more!" she grinned broadly as Katara could just lie in stunned silence.

"Yeah, I think I'm starting to get it…"

Yue gave her a playful glare. "I'm only glad that you stopped talking about his butt."

Yue gave her a mischievous smile. "Don't remind me, Katara! The way he had bent over to pick up my books for me in the hall… but, seriously, don't distract me! Anyway, he got me a present."

"Really? Katara asked in surprise, looking at her upside-down face, her eyes crossing as she concentrated deeply.

"Yep. It was yesterday, before we left to get you one of Azula's dresses." Quickly, Yue dumped Katara and made a bee-line for her vanity, where she rummaged around before making a sound of delight. She shuffled back to the bed and showed Katara the most beautiful and intricate charm-bracelet she had ever seen.

"It's incredible," she whispered, grinning goofily at Yue.

"I know," Yue whispered back.

She toyed with the three inter-woven chains, the charms jangling peacefully. Katara reached for it tentatively, gently moving some of the charms to look at them properly. "What do they mean?" Katara asked, twisting a horseshoe around.

Yue shrugged. "I don't know entirely… the horse shoe you have there, means luck." Yue shooed Katara's hands away and showed her another. "I think the two Greek masks represent the Drama class we first became friends in, back in year eight. It was him, me and Zuko." Yue grinned. "Best class ever." She moved along. "The present represents Christmas, obviously… and I think this is supposed to be the moon." She paused at the next charm. "But I haven't worked out the tiara, snowflake, the flower, heart or frog mean yet."

Katara was pretty sure she knew.

The tiara definitely represented Jet's view of Yue – that she was a Moon Goddess. The snowflake was a reference to her friend's uniqueness (no two snowflakes were the same) and, if she had to guess, how special she was to Jet. The flower looked like a fleur-di-lis, which Katara remembered meant purity and light, but also royalty.

The heart was self-explanatory.

The frog, Katara had no idea… except maybe…

"What do you think that heart means, Yue?" she asked, just as Harry and Hermione had a moment on screen.

Yue blushed madly. "Katara…"

"Yue…"

They stared at each other for a while; before Yue looked away with a huff of breathe. "Love."

"What?" Katara couldn't let this go. She needed Yue to realise that Jet had rather deep feelings for her. "I can't hear you?"

"I think it means love!" she shouted, throwing a pillow at Katara. It connected with her face, making her cough.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Katara asked quietly, watching Yue.

Her friend didn't look at her. "What are you going to do about this admirer?"

Katara frowned, but didn't push the topic. Yue needed to figure it out by herself, without Katara's interference. "Well, I know it's either Haru, Aang or Zuko…"

"Sure it isn't Sokka?" Yue asked.

"Positive. This… he would have been bored by now. He would have given up. Especially after last night."

Yue made a thoughtful hum. "It can't be Aang."

Katara looked at her. "Why not?"

"Because he wasn't as the performance."

Katara shook her head. "He went. I saw him, chatted with him." Yue worried her lip, twisting it between her teeth as Harry was transported to the graveyard on screen.

"Well, this sucks," Yue announced, flinging herself back on the bed. Katara gave a small smile and followed, spreading out beside the politicians daughter.

"I know."

"Your life is pretty crappy right now."

"Yep."

"Want some chocolate?"

"Absolutely."

Yue got up, slipping on some slippers, and left. Katara sighed, blowing the hair out of her eyes as she watched the movie without seeing anything. Her mind was a whirlwind. Talking with Yue had helped, but she still felt confused and ashamed. Rolling over, she checked her phone. A single text from Haru. One form Azula.

Cowardly as she was, she checked Haru's first.

**Need to talk. Meet tomorrow at the Christmas Eve Parade?**

Katara frowned. Was Haru going to deliver her last gift in person? On Christmas Eve? Quickly, she sent a text off asking for a time and place. His response was instantaneous and made her jump at the sudden vibration.

**7, by the fountain. **

Katara replied with a simple _See you then_ and moved on to her text from Azula, holding her breath as she built her confidence up.

**Thank you.**

She deflated. Thank you? That was it? Two words after her rambling apology and spiteful rant the night before? Two words? Thank you?

"Katara, can you please come down here?" Yue called form the first floor. Katara stared at the phone in disbelief before getting up. Barty Crouch Junior was being unmasked as she closed the door and pranced down the stairs. "Yue?" she called out, scanning the hallway and empty rooms she passed on her way through to the front.

"Yue, what is it?"

Yue stood in the middle of the hall, holding a silver wrapped parcel in her hands, a white note resting on top. Katara's mouth fell open as she glided across the floor, all but snatching the note from Yue's hands. She ripped it open unceremoniously, and tossed the envelope aside.

_Katara,_

_One more day…_

_Love Anonymous_

"What does it say? What does it say? Katara, show me!"

Katara shoved the note at Yue and took the present from her. She didn't bother to look it over, instead shredding the paper away and marvelling at the gorgeous, delicate silver box in her hand. It looked like something out of the 1800's. Yue gasped in appreciation, coming to stand across from her.

"It's a jewellery box," she said. She looked up and gave Katara an excited glance. "Well, open it!"

Hesitantly, Katara did.

Immediately, a small figurine moved up and music started playing. It was haunting; nothing lie the usually graceful lullaby that played form these sort of things. It started slow, building with what could have been a flute. It was eerie, and it was sad, and it built up to a crescendo, trapping Katara into a dream that could have been a nightmare.

"The mirror's broken," Yue said, peeking inside.

Katara looked up at her with wide eyes. "That's the trick to it. You have to view it from the right angle…" to illustrate, she rotated the box. Yue gasped again. The mirror might have been broken, but view from the right angle, the shards each reflected the piper from a slightly different angle. Ten shards of glass meant ten reflections, making a total of eleven pipers.

The music cut off abruptly and Yue and Katara stood in the silence of the hallway.

* * *

**Authors Note: **Do you likey?

Lots of Yue-Katara loving and talking. We see Yue's feelings and Katara ruminates over her actions at the Nutcracker, and we get to see how she feels about a whole bunch of things. I love Yue, in case you didn't realise. She really is a starring character in this little story. We even get a rather interesting Iroh scene! Yay! I also love Iroh. I have made sure that he stars in every chapter, and says something witty and very, very relevant to the plot and Katara's life. Can you find the one-liners? The proverbs?

Anyway, ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO! So, in honour of that chapter, I have one request: everyone who reads, write a review and state who you think the admirer is. I want to know if I have been obvious, or if I have done a good job of shadowing this man. Plus, it would be great to see who you want to see as Anonymous. I enjoyed writing this chapter, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Hold on - I KNOW ALREADY! BWHAHAHAHAH!

Ahem.

It would be great if you could tell me what your favourite gift has been so far! Or, better yet, which was your favourite chapter.

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

Fun Fact: Katara's music box is playing "A Narnia Lullaby." I would recommend watching "Azula Tribute (a Narnia Lullaby)" by 1Christal2. It really supplies the full effect.

Teaser:

No teaser for you! I will say this about next chapter: The admirer is revealed! Everything explodes around her! More revelations! A kiss (or five)!

**Read and Review**

- EIS


	12. Drummers Drumming

**Twelve Days of Mystery  
****Title: Twelve Days of Mystery**  
**Author:** Eternity In Seconds  
**Rating:** T. Language  
**Pairings:** Yue/Jet, Azula/Sokka, Teo/Toph, ?/?, ?/?  
**Summary: **Modern Day A/U. Twelve days before Christmas, Katara receives a gift from a secret admirer. Then another. And one the next day. But who is the admirer? And why does her school get out three days before Christmas? And why is Toph wearing a… [Katara x ]  
**Authors Note:** The end is near! The end is near! Everything goes down this chapter! The admirer is revealed, a revelation is made, and things shall be explained!

This chapter is long... 7,500 words without this starting bit and the end A/U. And I really hope I haven't rushed anything... or that I missed a plot hole... drop a review and let me know if I have!  
**Disclaimer:** Bryke own EVERYTHING. I may own the story herein this FanFiction and I may own some of the Original Characters, but the original idea belongs to them.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: **Drummers Drumming

**xXx**

_On the twelfth day of Christmas  
my true love sent to me:  
Twelve Drummers Drumming  
Eleven Pipers Piping  
Ten Lords a Leaping  
Nine Ladies Dancing  
Eight Maids a Milking  
Seven Swans a Swimming  
Six Geese a Laying  
Five Golden Rings  
Four Calling Birds  
Three French Hens  
Two Turtle Doves  
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree! _

* * *

Christmas Eve

**xXx**

One of Katara's favourite quotes was: "_There are some people who believe that home is where one hangs one's hat, but these people tend to live in closets and on little pegs_." She couldn't actually remember who said it or where she had heard it, all she remembered was that it explained quite a few things very well.

Katara believe that a person's home was where there heart was. Which is why she decided to avoid her own, because she quite liked her heart in one piece and unbroken. When she explained this to Yue, her friend just sighed and rolled her eyes to stare at the sky.

She had spent the night at Yue's again and squeezed herself into some of her friends clothing – dark rinse skinny jeans – and even used all of Yue's hot water. She hadn't started the conversation about Jet again; instead they had settled down and discussed their friends love life's. When Yue had found out about Toph and Teo, she hadn't seemed all that surprised.

"You were the only person who didn't see Toph's crush," Yue said simply, staring into the mirror as she applied eye-liner.

Katara snorted. "Well, you were the only one who didn't know that Jet and Zuko weren't actually gay… with each other."

Yue made a squeal of outrage. "I was young, and they literally did everything together! Plus, they were always so… close and touchy feely."

Katara turned to face her friend completely, tossing aside the shirt she had been trying on. "Touchy feely?"

"They always hugged each other!"

"That doesn't make them gay."

"I was twelve!"

Katara snorted, ducking the pillow Yue chucked at her and laughing as she went deeper into the walk-in wardrobe. To her immediate left were all the expensive, ridiculous dresses Yue had to wear to all the galas and dinners her father was expected to attend. Some actually looked really nice, but the majority looked like something Katara found in the Dress Up Isle at any supermarket.

Poking her tongue out at an especially gruesome dress, she shoved the hangers aside and found the t-shirts. "Score!" She opened the first drawer and found everything organised by colour. "Do you clean this all by yourself?" Katara yelled out, holding up a nice yellow t-shirt.

"The maid does it. I don't want her to, but she insists." Yue was putting in an earring as she entered; stepping over the trail of shoes Katara had left in her wake.

"And of course you aren't going to argue with the people who work for you," Katara said airily, closing the door and opening another, this time filled with blue and purple coloured t-shirts.

"If she wants to…" Yue trailed off, picking out a nice looking white lace shirt and slipping it on over her plain pale purple singlet. Katara pouted. Yue always looked so nice. It sucked. Even in in black leggings with studs up the side, a short white skirt and knee-high boots. Katara decided to give up, settling on a top she had always loved and tugged it on, followed by her warm black snow boots inlaid with white fur, and a dark coloured marshmallow parka.

She didn't know why she felt so nervous. She had heard from Yue, who had gotten a text from Ty Lee, who had been chatting with Jet over the phone who had seen Azula at home, that both the princess and Sokka were going to be there, along with Toph, Teo, Suki and Mai. Zuko was still in one of his meetings and would get there later.

She flicked her hair out of the collar and took a deep breath. "Let's go to that stupid fair so I can talk to Haru."

**xXx**

They got to the Christmas Eve Festival at six. The sky was already the colour of bruises, and people were everywhere, greeting each other and admiring the wares being sold and the food being offered. LED lights blinked green, red, blue, orange and white, and the street lights hummed rhythmically. Katara shivered as a purely winter breeze blew across the bare skin of her face.

The Christmas music from the festival was a soothing background noise, and Katara could smell the ginger bread, grilled food, shortbread and fruit cakes from where she stood at the entrance to the town square. The park was off to the left; its tree's strung with lights and baubles, each one looking like a Christmas tree. She hadn't been to the fair in a couple of years and Katara felt something akin to home sickness in her stomach.

Children ran around the legs of the adults, laughing as they trailed sparks behind them. Someone was obviously giving out sparklers. A few couples were out; walking dogs are just enjoying the celebration themselves. Katara remembered that the primary school had their annual Christmas show on the huge stage at the end of the square at seven. People bought tickets, the old and young and everyone in between, even if they had no relatives or friends in the performances.

They had even managed to ditch Yue's body guard along the way. Yue had insisted on walking to the festival when her father had offered to send for a car, linking arms with Katara and strolling out of the house.

It was a nice night. The sky, when you could see, was dotted with glittering specks of stars. She really hoped that the sky would clear, because at ten the whole town turned lights off to sing carols under the sky. She had always loved that. Seeing the hundreds of thousands of stars, the only light from the moon and the candles people held in their hands.

Katara blinked away the tears that pooled in the bottoms of her eyes and took a deep breath. Yue touched her arm tentatively, smiling kindly, and Katara smiled back.

"Let's check out the games! I wanna win a Giant something," Yue said, taking her by the hand and dragging her to the nearest booth. Katara immediately liked the game. She had to shot Santa and the reindeer as they "flew" across the sky with water guns. She wasn't surprised when she won

"Someone's a little blood thirsty heathen," a low voice droned behind her as the unhappy store keeper handed Katara her huge toy.

"Jet!" Yue yelped, a hand going to her hair. Katara smirked, amused beyond belief.

Jet looks startled. "Uh… hi…"

They stand in an uncomfortable silence and Katara decided that she can't stand it anymore. "Yue loves the bracelet you gave her," she announced, shooting Jet an innocent smile. His face flushes immediately. "I do too."

His eyes narrowed. "Well that's nice for you, isn't?"

"Uh huh," Katara agreed, manoeuvring the soft toy around in her arms and rooting around in her pocket for a lollipop. She finds it and unwraps. "She even worked out the meaning of the charms." Katara popped the lolly into her mouth and smiles around the stick.

Jet looks uncomfortable and Katara has never been happier. "Oh?"

"Yep."

Yue is tugging on her parka sleeve and hissing at her through a strained smile. "Katara…"

"Wanna hear what she thinks?" Ignoring Yue completely, Katara grinned again. "Of course you do." Jet looked like he had been caught with his hand in Iroh's cookie jar. An offence that cost a part of your soul.

"The horse shoe means luck." Katara lashed out, grabbing Yue's wrists and dragging the other girl in-between she and Jet. Jet caught Yue before she could go flying and Katara held her wrist up high so that everyone could see. "The two Greek masks represent the Drama class you, Zuko and she all became friends in. It was the best class ever, by the way. And very sweet of you, Jet, just letting you know. The present represents Christmas, obviously, the moon is the moon. Even a two year old could figure that out. The fleur-di-lis, purity and light, but also royalty… the snowflake is Yue's own unique personality and her hair…" Katara was speaking slowly, drawing out the moment for her two friends. Jet looked worried, his eyes moving like a cornered animals, and Yue looked like she would faint at any moment. "Unfortunately, Yue couldn't work out the tiara, but I have a really, really good idea…"

Jet's mouth dropped open as he tried to let Yue go. Katara made sure to move so that her friend stumbled into his arms again.

"And Yue thinks that the heart represents love."

All Hell broke loose. Yue bolted upright; banging her head into Jet's chin as Katara flew forward, juggling her bear around in her arms. Yue started babbling, panicked and hyperactive. Jet's nose started bleeding form the knock Yue had given him, and Haru walked over.

"Katara! I've been looking everywhere for you!" he greeted, pulling her into a hug. Katara awkwardly patted him on the back in return.

He didn't let go.

"Uh, Haru?"

"Why is Jet bleeding?" Katara shrugged out of Haru's arms and turned around to see Jet pinching the bridge of his nose while glaring at Haru in earnest. Yue was trying to con a nearby vendor out of their napkins.

"Because Yue punched him in the nose," Katara answered, lifting an eyebrow at Jet as he tried to look intimidating.

"I didn't punch him!" Yue cried as she jogged over with her collection of napkins. "I accidently hit his nose with my head."

"How do you accidently do that?" Haru asked quizzically as he eyed Jet off with a sly grin.

"Because I'm involved," Katara said cheerily. Haru seemed to remember why he was there and lost all jolly-appearances.

"Come with me," he said before grabbing Katara's arm and dragging her away.

Jet, June and Yue watched as Katara left. She tried to ask for help with her eyes. Jet just gave a stuck-up wave. June smirked. Yue smiled knowingly.

They stopped by the fountain, the water trickling down into the pool and casting beautiful rainbows everywhere as light bounced off the water streams. Haru let go of Katara and started pacing in front of her, looking a mess of stressed out energy. Katara lazily sat down and started trailing her hands in the water nonchalantly, while inside she was a flurry of activity.

This was it. Haru was confessing. He was going to give her her last present and tell her that he liked her. He would probably try and kiss her, too, and ask her out on a proper date.

Katara thought about how everything would unfold and felt nothing but disappointment. She wasn't excited. She wasn't waiting with baited breath for his confession. She felt trepidation and unease. She wasn't happy at the thought of kissing Haru. It wasn't that she didn't want someone to kiss her, it was just that something about Haru doing it was… wrong.

She didn't understand why, though. He wasn't unattractive. If Suki was anything to go by, Haru was one of the hottest boys at school. Especially when he wasn't rocking a caterpillar on his lip. Apparently, every girl had had a crush on him at one point or another. Besides Katara. Even Toph had admitted to liking him, back when she had first started school.

Was there something wrong with her?

"Katara I…" Haru started and then stopped, looking flustered and frustrated and beyond unhappy.

Katara's heart sped up. She didn't want this. She didn't want to tell Haru _no, sorry_, but she was going to. She didn't want him as her admirer. The thought made her stomach queasy. She felt like she was going to be sick. She couldn't date him anyway, she was engaged to bloody _Hahn_ for Spirits sakes… and she was pretty sure that she liked...

"Katara, I–"

"Haru, I–"

They spoke at the same time. Haru blushed, rubbing at his neck anxiously and fidgeting like he had ants under his skin. "You first," he said.

She shook her head. "No, you wanted to talk, you go first…"

They stared each other down.

"Haru, I'm sorry, but I don't want to go out with you! I'm sorry, but I'm engaged to Hahn against my will and I don't feel that way about you because I actually like…" Katara spoke at the same time Haru stated, "Katara, I'm sorry to put you into his position, but I need to know – do you think that there is any chance that Suki likes me enough to go out with me?"

They blinked at each other in astonishment.

"Wait, you think Suki likes you?" "Why would I want to go out with you?"

Katara's face flushed with anger. "What's wrong with going out with me?" she demanded, crossing her arms and standing up.

Haru looked just as put-off. "What's wrong with me? Why couldn't Suki possibly like me?"

Katara floundered a bit, flapping her hands like Hawky. "There isn't anything wrong with you, per se; it's just that you really aren't my type…"

"Ditto!"

They stood in front of each other awkwardly, not looking each other in the eye. Katara decided that this was the single most awkwardly mortifying moment of her entire life. Even more awkward then when Sokka and she had been swimming and she had gotten her first period.

She cleared her throat. "You like Suki?"

Haru nodded, hands deep in his pockets. "Yep."

"For how long?"

"Since the New Year."

"The school new year or the–"

"The actual New Year. It was Ty Lee's New Year's Eve party, actually."

"Oh, cool, cool."

Silence.

"You're engaged to Hahn?"

"Unfortunately."

"Is this like when Yue was–"

"Exactly the same thing, yeah."

Silence.

Haru coughed. Katara sneezed. They stared at each other.

Silence.

A little boy approached the fountain, stepping right in between the two of them and pushing Katara out of the way. She stumbled, glaring at the twerp, as he turned around. He gave an impish grin, his two front teeth missing, and threw a coin behind his head. It landed in the fountain with a soft splash and he scrunched his eyes up in concentration. Opening them again, he left his back-pack hitting Haru right in the stomach.

Katara stood beside him awkwardly as he caught his breath again, a hand patting his back stiffly. "There, there," she said, biting her lip and looking anywhere but at him. She caught sight of Yue and Jet through a spray of water from the fountain. They had found a little picnic table, an umbrella raised over their heads, as they talked. Whatever it was, it was serious.

She titled her head to the side and manoeuvred around Haru to get a better view. Jet's hands were flat on the table, still as rocks, his lips moving rapidly. Yue was blushing as she looked at the table, tracing the lines of the wood with her hand. Yue looked up suddenly, and Katara saw Jets face. He reached out and took Yue's hand in his own. Yue finally looked him in the eye and Katara saw the smile on her face right before Jet leaned across the table and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"You can thank me later," she said out loud while mentally patting herself on the back.

"Thank you for what?" Haru asked, standing up again. Katara paused, looking away. She stared at Haru's face, observing and analysing him. He moved under her scrutiny. "What? What is it? Do I have something on my face?"

Katara shook her head. "Why do you like her?"

Haru stopped. "What?"

"Why do you like Suki?"

He opened his mouth before closing it again. Then he tried to say something, but no words came out. "I guess I just… do."

Katara nodded, because if she was sure of one thing in the world, it was that if you _just did_ it was true. "Then maybe you should tell her that."

Haru seemed to come to a decision in the next instant. Suki, Ty Lee and Mai appeared, talking with each other as the festival played out around them. Without another word, he hugged Katara quickly, before turning and marching towards Suki. He tapped her on the shoulder, interrupting the girl's conversation with Ty Lee and Mai, and pulled her off to the side.

Yue came up beside her soon after, Jet right behind, their hands linked easily together. Katara smiled brightly and wiggled her eyebrows at Yue.

"So… what did you and Jet do while I was away?"

"Did you and Haru talk?" she asked, ignoring Katara completely with an incriminating blush painting her cheeks. Jet shoved his other hand into his pocket.

Katara nodded. "Yep. It was confusing and made no real sense, but…" she heard Jet as he started choking on the swig of beer he had taken and looked at him. His eyes were set on something behind her. They were wide.

"What is it?" Yue asked, pulling on Jet's hand to get his attention. "Jet?"

"What are they doing?" was all he said. "Are they…?"

Katara gave him a confused frown and turned around, Yue following her lead, and felt her jaw drop.

"Well, as my mother used to say," Yue said a little giggly. "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's probably a duck."

"Very wise," Jet agreed in a strangled voice, still staring unabashedly. "And what exactly do your mother's words of wisdom have to do with this situation?"

Yue shrugged. "It looks like kissing. It's the right place for a kissing. If I were going to kiss someone," she blushed, shooting Jet a look, "this is where I'd do it. So. . ."

"So it's probably kissing?" Katara said, grinning toothily.

June grinned at the two of them in return and winked. "Either that or it's a really ugly duck."

Jet shivered. "That is no bloody duck…"

June rolled her eyes and hit him behind the head. "Seriously? They're just kissing. It isn't so bad."

"Yeah, Jet," Katara added, punching him in the arm. He turned to glare at her, rubbing the place her fist had connected. "Don't tell me you've never seen two people kissing before."

"Of course I have," Jet replied immediately, taking another swig. "I just never wanted to see Haru doing it. Ever. Especially with… Kyoshi of all people."

Katara gave him an amused grin. "What's wrong with Suki?" she said, making sure to sound angry on behalf of her friend.

"She dated your brother, for one." Jet still couldn't look away from the couple as Haru's hand snaked up Suki's shirt. He made a disgusted face and took another long gulp. Yue frowned at him.

Katara was actually affronted now. "What's wrong with Sokka?"

Jet turned to look at her, his cheeks turning a shade darker, and rubbed the back of his neck. "Nothing, nothing! Seriously, it was a joke. I didn't mean it."

"Because he dated your girlfriend before you, remember?"

Jet's face went from embarrassed to pissed off. "Don't remind me."

"Aw," Katara crooned like she was talking to a puppy dog. "Don't be jealous Jet. They didn't do anything _very bad_."

Jet spun around so quickly Katara stumbled, his eyes smouldering. Yue was shaking her head, groaning into her palm. "What?"

Katara threw her hand sup. "Calm down. It's sarcasm, Jet. Damn… they dated for, like a month before they ended things. I swear, they only held hands."

"Sarcasm?" Jet asked with narrowed eyes.

"It's from the Greek, _sarkasmos_. "To bite the lips". It means that you aren't really saying what you mean, but people will get your point. I invented it, obviously, and Zuko named it."

"Well, if the village idiot named it, I'm sure it's a good thing."

"There you go, you got it."

"Got what?"

"Sarcasm."

"No, I meant it."

"Sure you did."

"Is that sarcasm?"

"Irony, I think."

"What's the difference?"

"I haven't the slightest idea."

"So you're being ironic now, right?"

"No, I really don't know."

"Maybe you should ask the idiot."

"Now you've got it."

"What?"

"Sarcasm."

Yue threw her hands up. "Can you two just stop talking? Please?" Katara and Jet shared a look before shrugging at each other. One thing about Jet and Katara's relationship: they could never properly get mad at each other. Jet finished his drink and tossed the bottle into the nearest bin. "Thank you." Yue said as Jet took her hand again.

"Hey guys!" Aang yelled as he weaved through the gathered masses, ducking under arms and legs with Teo following behind in his wheelchair. Bee and Long Shot trailed after them, holding hands as they admired the festival. "What are you doing?"

"Teasing Jet about his girlfriend," June answered immediately, crossing her arms and grinning.

"Jet has a girlfriend?" Toph yelled, jumping off the back of Teo's chair and storming around to look at Katara, Yue and Jet. She eyed them off, Jet standing in the middle, and grinned like a shark. Or prianaha. "Congrats, Virgin Queen. I dind't knw you had it in you."

Katara blanched. "Excuse me?"

"Virgin Queen?" Toph said. "As in Queen Elizabeth the first? She didn't have s-e-x ever and married her country or something."

"I know who Queen Elizabeth is," Katara snapped.

"Great! Then why are you asking about your nick-name? It's pretty self-explanatory. You are like dear old Bessie. Never had a boyfriend, never had the smexy times… but now that Jet's your lovable ruffian, I'm going to give you some advice: protection, protection, protection!"

Katara whined, "Meh-uhna?" Clearing her throat, she tried again. "I am Not Dating Jet!"

Toph looked confused. She gave Teo a look, which he gave a shrug in return to. "But June said…"

"He's with Yue!" Katara yelped. "And I have too had a boyfriend!"

Toph paid her no attention. She spun around, the hood of her jacket hitting Katara squarely in the jaw. "Moony? I thought you were better than that!"

This made Jet as angry as Katara. "Better? I am the best there is."

Toph snorted. "Keep telling yourself that, Chewy."

"It's true!" Jet defended.

"Why would you think I would date Jet?" Katara said at the same time, gesturing to Jet with one hand wildly.

"What, too good for me, Kittycat?" Jet asked, his voice hot.

"Don't call me Kittycat!" Katara shouted, stamping a foot.

"I figured that Jet was your sneaky admirer – you know, the one who sent you all those bird," Toph said, making Katara stop and spin around to face her.

Everyone turned to look at Katara. "All those gifts I've been hearing about were for you?" Teo asked in disbelief.

"Wait, what gifts? What birds?" Bee demanded dragging Long Shot behind her. He gave Katara a nod in greeting, which she returned with a smile. Conversation with the silent boy was easy. She still didn't understand why he and Bee were dating, though, because she had never heard him speak. And Bee talked a lot.

Maybe that was it.

Toph launched into an explanation that was more fact then fiction. She held everyone's attention easily, waving her hands around. Teo watched her with a glow in his eyes that made Katara goofy. Toph was something else, but Katara was glad that she had Teo. Toph either read her mind or realised that, too, because she leant forward and kissed him on the temple.

The moment was ruined when a hand suddenly slipped around her mouth and she was dragged into a nearby alley. She kicked out and used her arms as windmills, hoping that she hit something not part of a building. Her fists connected with actual flesh and she heard a voice swearing.

"Honestly, Sokka, did you have to kidnap her?" Katara stopped moving, her eyes going wide. She felt Sokka's arms release her and she scrambled up, turning around with a heaving chest to see Azula leaning against the wall looking smug and utterly perfect. Sokka, on the other hand, looked like rubbish.

Katara admired her handiwork in silence, also taking the time to watch the two people before her. Sokka stood easily, his grin sloppy and lovesick. Azula, even though she was shaking her head as Sokka recounted his kidnapping, was affectionate. Katara realised with a start that they were…

"I'm sorry," Katara jerked away, blinking rapidly. Sokka watched her with ashamed eyes.

"What? Why?" Katara asked stupidly, completely and utterly lost.

Before her brother could respond, Azula stepped forward. "I need to talk to her alone." He nodded, giving her one last look, before he vanished around the corner. Katara stood in front of Azula, feeling small and insignificant. Azula's hawk-like gaze appraised her, honey eyes sharp.

"I want to thank you, Katara."

Katara blinked.

"You were right, and because of you, I am now officially in possession of your brother."

"… sorry?"

Azula sighed. "Because of your little rant the other night at the theatre, I came to the realisation that I was being as terrible as my father. And, because of what you told me bluntly, I agreed to be your brothers boyfriend because you… and I can't believe I am saying this… you were right."

Katara was stunned. "You and my brother…"

"Exactly." Azula shrugged.

"Officially?"

"I met your father and grandmother yesterday for lunch. You were otherwise absent."

"You want to date my brother?"

Azula seemed to realise why Katara was so shocked, because she smiled. "I know. Crazy, right? But as June so eloquently informed me, normal people do crazy things as well. And they have lists."

Katara wasn't completely positive as to why lists were relevant in this conversation, but this was Azula, and she decided that Azula was… Azula. Katara stood in silence as she thought over Azula's words, and realised that this was always going to happen. Azula was always possessive over her brother. She always took extra time to insult him, or send a back-handed compliment. When he had dated Suki on-and-off for a year, Azula had alternatively hated Suki on-and-off as well. Usually, she hated Suki when she was on with her brother.

Katara apologised profusely again, only to have Azula wave her off. "I need more people like you in my lie, Katara. The only people who actually speak to me without treating me like glass are you, my brother, June and Jet. And I suppose my Uncle… but he doesn't really count because of his strangeness."

"Still… you may forgive me, but what about Sokka?"

Azula snorted like Katara had just said the funniest thing in the world. "Sokka? Please. He adores you. As soon as he was sure I wasn't upset, he loved you again and wanted to apologise for what he said. I told him to give you some space, though. Honestly, he is worse than my own brother…" Azula titled her head to the side and thought about something. "Where is my brother, anyway?"

Katara shrugged. "I don't know."

Azula looked beyond surprised. "But you always know. I swear, sometimes you make me as sick as Yue does."

"I don't always know where Zuko is," Katara snapped, offended. "And what do you mean by that? Why does Yue make you sick?"

Azula shudders. "Have you seen her whenever Jet is around? It's worse than when Zuko's ex's come over. Especially Jin."

Katara bit her lip and shrugged one shoulder. "He really likes spending time with Jin, I guess. But I hear that it's hard to fall out of love."

Azula shook her head in disgust. "No, he's just stupid. Well, most men are stupid."

"Hey!" came an indignant voice.

Both girls turned around to see Sokka looking down at them with an offended expression. He touched his thumb to his chest and sent them his best attempt at Puppy Dog eyes. Katara just felt like barfing. Azula looked completely turned off. "I for one am _not _stupid."

Azula turned back around to Katara and sniffed. "That's right."

Sokka perked up, lips starting to quirk into a smile. "Really?"

"Really. You're the true exception."

"You bet I am."

"You're not just simply stupid; you're a complete and utter _imbecile_."

Katara grinned at Azula. "I'm proud to call you my sister." Azula gave her a small smile and they high-fived, Sokka spluttering behind them unattractively.

"And didn't Azula tell you to go away while we talked?" Katara demanded. Sokka looked properly scolded for a few moments before he scowled again.

Azula rolled her eyes. "I really don't care. Now you can have your turn Sokka, I'm done with her." Azula stopped mid-turn and cast a look to Katara over her shoulder. "Here." Katar caught the projectile neatly in one hand. "You might want to wear these." With that, Azula sashayed away. Katara ignored the way Sokka's eyes lingered and the love-sick puppy look returned in full-force.

Katara looked at the jewellery box Azula had chucked at her. She popped it open and saw her rings. She froze, her mind cartwheeling and her thoughts racing each other like two formula-one cars.

Azula couldn't mean…

She slid them on. She put one on her right ring finger, another on her right index finger, and another on her thumb. On her left hand, she slid the last gold ring on to her index finger. She kept the silver ring in the box.

She coughed, slipping the box into her pocket, and turned to the challenge before her. "Sokka…"

He turned, looking at her with a serious expression. She didn't know what to do, or what to say, or how to act. Azul had said that he wasn't angry, but Katara didn't know. They had said some serious stuff to each other, and she just didn't know as much about her brother as she had always thought. Case in point, he was dating Azula Agni.

Katara felt arms engulf her tightly in a comforting hug and heard Sokka's voice in her ear. "We've both said some crap we didn't mean. I know you're sorry – if the thirty-eight missed calls and texts I have is any indication – and you know I'm sorry. Can we go back to being brother and sister again?"

That was all.

It was short, simple. It was all she needed.

Katara tightened her hold on Sokka and nodded into his chest. "Of course." He kissed her on the forehead and held her close.

Katara decided that she couldn't have asked for a better brother then Sokka.

They walk out of the alley together, laughing at an old joke of their dads. Everyone is there. Suki-and-Haru, Teo-and-Toph, Bee-and-Long Shot, Jet-and-Yue, Azula(-and-Sokka), Ty Lee, Mai, Aang, Pip, Duke. June had wandered off and is chatting with Iroh (who has mistletoe in his beard), and some other older gentleman. She spots Bumi, form the Theatre, her teacher Piando and his _partner_, Fat. A tall, severe looking guy. Another man she has never seen before, with a beard as white as Iroh's and wild, unruly hair. He looked up as Katara was staring and she flushed, giving a small wave, before turning around and hiding behind Ty Lee

"What's the matter, Katara?" the pinkette asks, worry in her voice and face.

"You know that awkward moment when someone catches you staring at them?"

Ty Lee's face lights up. "Oh yeah! Were you staring at that hot guy over there as well, Katara!"

Katara followed Ty Lee's pointed finger to a good-looking guy about her age. "No."

Ty Lee gives her a quizzical look. "Someone else?"

Katara gestures with her chin. "That crazy-haired guy next to Iroh."

Ty Lee's eyes widen. "Isn't he a little old for you, Katara?"

"_What?"_ Everyone turned to look at her again. Her shout garnered the attention of Iroh's group.

"BUMI!" Aang shouted, waving enthusiastically at the man. Immediately, the group converge on Katara and her friends and she wants to crawl into the alley and die of embarrassment.

"Ah, Hello children!" Iroh shouted, grinning like a psychotic clown. Bumi gives a laugh that makes Katara think of padded rooms. "What a beautiful night for the festival, yes?"

"Definitely!" Ty Lee is so enthusiastic it makes Katara dizzy.

"How have you been, Miss Katara?" Iroh asked, ignoring all the other conversations going on. In the distance, the clock tower turns to nine. Katara bits her lip.

"I'm…

"Katara Dagat?" the man with the crazy hair interrupted her, stepping forward.

Katara felt immediately uncomfortable. His eyes were like lasers, zeroing on everything to do with her. They looked at her face, moved along her body. Katara wanted to feel molested or violated, but his look was purely scientific. He was sizing her up and Katara had no idea what he was comparing her too.

"Miss Katara, this is my friend, Jeong Jeong. He is one of my Nephew's advisors from our home country."

Katara is immediately interested. "You've been meeting with Zuko recently, haven't you?"

Iroh seemed momentarily surprised before eh burst out laughing. "Indeed. Clever of you to work that out from one conversation! Didn't I tell you that she was clever, and beautiful, Jeong Jeong?" Iroh winked at her conspiratorially as she gaped. "My riend didn't believe me when I told him!"

"Yes, well, when you started discussing her in our war council, we tend to ignore you," the other, severe looking man said.

"War council?"

"Come now, Jee!"

Katara's head was spinning. "Wait, you're Jee? Commander Jee? As in the man who controls Zuko's armies?"

Jee nodded. "You've heard of me?"

Katara nodded. "Of course. Two days ago, I did some research into Zuko's country. Your name – and Jeong Jeong's – came up quite a bit." Katara paused, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment. "I… uh… wanted to thank you. For keeping Zuko – and Azula! –safe."

Jeong Jeong, Jee and Iroh stopped what they were doing and looked at her. Katara squirmed in discomfort, her whole body turning into one flaming heap of embarrassed. They shared a Significant Look and Katara swore she saw Jee smile at Jeong Jeong.

"Seems we made the right decision after all," he said.

Iroh smirked smugly. "What did I tell you?" He wrapped an arm around Katara's waist and hugged her

The three men started bickering again, and Katara allowed herself to wonder after the prince that dominated her thoughts.

**xXx**

An hour later, Katara felt something soft land on her neck. She reached up and touched it, before feeling something else. She looked at her sleeve and saw a snowflake. She looked up and noticed that the sky, although still dark, had faded in colour. Another snowflake gently drifted down and Katara stepped away from the group.

The snow was starting to paint the trees, and Katara needed to go into the forest.

Her heart clenched when she realised… when she remember why.

"I'll be back in a sec…"

The last time she had been in the park, had been with her mother. It had been their last Christmas together, and her mother had snuck Katara out of the house (Sokka had a terrible case of the flu) to show her.

Katara had been tired and cranky. She wanted to go to bed. But her mother had insisted, ignoring her whining the whole time. When they reached the park, it was late. The snow as a soft curtain, falling over the park, and the lake had frozen over. A few people skated across the surface, laughing quietly.

There had been something about the night. Katara had felt bewitched, like she was walking through an art museum or a dream. She didn't want to speak, didn't want to break the illusion. They moved deeper into the park and Katara had heard drums.

"_Katara_," Kya had said, picking her up and resting her on her hip, "_hear that? Your ancestors played this song every Winter Solstice. It was to honour one of their gods. They still do it, even now, but not many people know about it. This place is secret_."

Katara had watched. Women had taken off their clothes and dressed in clothes Katara though should have been worn in summer. They danced around a huge fire, the drummers keeping rhythm perfectly.

"_I love snow for the same reason I love Christmas,"_ her mother had whispered as the snow continued to fall around the dancers. "_It brings people together while time stands still. Cozy couples lazily meander through the streets and children trudge sleds and chase snowballs. No one seems to be in a rush to experience anything other than the glory of the day, with each other, whenever and however it happens..."_

Katara found the path. She saw the lake. She heard the drums. And then she was _there_.

It was just as she remembered. The dancers. The drummers. The rhythm. The enchantment.

Katara started to cry.

_I love snow for the same reason I love Christmas… it brings people together while time stands still..._

What had she done? How had she forgotten?

It was like her book. _A Christmas Carol_. The last book she had been reading with her mother. She had forgotten it, thrown it away. Just like she had thrown away her mother's favourite time of year.

Katara cried properly.

What had she done? What had she become?

A Grinch. An Ebenezer Scrooge.

Did Scrooge get a happy ending?

She didn't know. She hoped so. Maybe then she would get what she wanted… a happy ending…

_I'm sorry, mummy…. _

A hand touched her shoulder and she turned around. The note she clenched in her pocket burned her. The words written on it were branded into her memory. She wouldn't be forgetting them. Not now, not ever.

_Dear Katara,_

_Follow the sound of the drums. _

_This will be my last gift to you. I hope… well, I hope that you don't hate me for it._

_Love Anonymous_

"Zuko…"

He held up a hand. Have you ever been in love?" he asked, turning away from her, his scar visible in the flickering light of the fire. "It's horrible, isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defences, you build up this whole suit of armour, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love.

"But I wouldn't change the fact that I love you. Not today, not tomorrow, not in year. I don't think I ever will want to. My Uncle told me that it's better to have lived and loved then to never have loved at all. At first, I didn't believe him. This feeling was making me miserable. I couldn't do anything else. I hated it. The more I fought against it, against you, the more it hurt.

"Then I realised that the emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it..." He looked at her then, looked away from the fire he had been staring into.

"Zuko…"

"I know we're fucked up, alright?" he said, running a hand furiously through his hair and starling Katara into silence. "I'm impulsive, and hot tempered, and you get under my skin like no one else can. You act like you hate me one minute, and then need me the next. I never get anything right, and I don't deserve you...but I fucking love you, Katara. I love you more than I have loved anyone or anything ever. I started this whole thing to prove a point. Then, two days ago, at the theatre…"

Katara stepped towards him, a hand reaching out. "Zuko, please, let me explain

"I wanted to kill him. Fucking Hahn." Zuko growled, clenching his hands into fists. "It was all for nothing. That was my first thought. If, by some ridiculous chance or Fate or whatever, this whole charade had convinced you… it would be for nothing. You'd go off, marry him… but then it came to me." He moved to her, taking her hands in-between her own. Katara gasped, feeling an electric shiver.

"I called my Uncle, who had been helping me form Day 1, and then I called Jeong Jeong and Jee. I called your father and got him to give me a copy of your engagement. Then I got to work. I made a thousand calls, looked up a thousand laws…"

All Katara could think was: _I am just like Azula_.

One minute, Katara was having this epiphany and the next she was throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing into his shirt. Zuko immediately wrapped his arms around her, brought her so close to his chest, Katara was sure he was trying to bury her inside him.

"God, Zuko, I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry about what you had to go through, and I'm so sorry about Hahn, and I'm just sorry…"

"Shh, shh, Katara, it's okay. I fixed it. I fixed it. You don't have to marry Hahn anymore."

She pulled away, aware that her face was blotchy ad that her nose was runny. The snow fell around them, blanketing them both. Zuko was blinking furiously, snowflakes clinging to his eyelashes. "What?"

He tightened his grip. "Just… just tell me one thing, first."

"Anything."

"Do you love me?"

Katara stopped.

She was just like Azula.

Katara was always possessive over Zuko, over Azula's brother in the same way Azula was possessive over Sokka. She always took extra time to insult him, or send a back-handed compliment, or talk to him. When he had dated Jin and Song and Mai and those other girls, she had hated all of them. It was why she had lied to Jin when the other girl had asked if Zuko might still like her.

Katara had been a fool. After Zuko had saved her from her one and only boyfriend, she had fallen in love with him. And because she had just been burned, she hid that feeling away inside so that it wouldn't hurt her.

She had been so stupid.

Iroh had even been hinting at her the entire time. His little proverbs, his little warnings. He had been talking about her and Zuko, and Zuko's feelings for her and what Zuko had been planning so carefully.

He had done it all for her.

Zuko watched her. "Because, to get you out of your arrangement with Hahn… I had to tie you to me… we… we are engaged." Then Zuko was rambling. "But, you can wait until you are eighteen and then we can break it, if you want, because I'm not going to force you or anything. "It's just until you become of age, or until Hahn makes another contract, then you can end it and walk away from everything and never see me again if you don't want…"

"Zuko," she whispered, placing a finger on his lips, as she unhooked he arm from around his neck and reached into her pocket. ""Yes. I… I think I do… I think I love you… and I think I've loved you for a while…"

Katara drew out the silver ring and with Zuko's burning golden gaze on her; she slipped it on to her ring finger.

Then she kissed him.

**xXx**

They returned just in time to sing the carols by candlelight.

No one seemed to notice when Katara and Zuko walked hand-in-hand and joined them by the massive tree.

No one seemed to notice when Iroh gave Zuko an all-knowing wink and smile.

No one seemed to notice when Jeong Jeong whispered to Jee, "that girl better make him happy."

No one but Katara and Zuko noticed when her father, Bato and Gran Gran approached and smiled at her – their eyes filled with joy and happiness like Katara had never seen, and an apology that was more heartfelt then words would ever express – and came to stand behind her and Zuko.

And no one, not even Katara herself, noticed when she was singing, under her breath, "_and a Partridge in a Pear Tree"._

* * *

**Authors Note: The End.**

Fun Fact: "_Dagat_" is the Filipino word for sea.

Fun Fact: The drummers are playing something very, very similar to _'Epic Taiko Drum Music'_, found on YouTube under **Sascha'**s account.

What do you think? The bond of siblings is maintained. Romance is born. You got five kisses. You discovered the admirer. Katara got away from Hahn. I still managed to write a Zutara fic...

What else is there?

Oh! Right! I don't want any flames for the coupling! You hear? NO FLAMES! Only flames if they are of desire! Or if I made a mistake in contingency...

I want to thank everyone who has reviewed end been with this journey from **DAY 1: PATRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE.** I want to thank a few reviewers in particular: Digi-fanCapp, PrincescaDeFuego and SubjectDeltaBubz. These three have been there since the beginning, and I would love to thank them for continuing to show me support and love for this story!

I may write an "epilogue" - perhaps one month later - to check in on everybody. But, for now, I shall click COMPLETE and call this THE END. As I leave this Chirstmas Tale, I shall be dodging the rotten fruit and vegetables those unhappy shippers will throw and bid you adieu!

I would, however, love to here your thoughts on this story. Please, I would love for you to drop a review, even if all its says is: K.

**Read and Review**

- EIS


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